ryu eunmi (Ryu emma)

by Missminew (minji)

appearance

face claim — Q.Ri (T-ARA)
back up — Hyuna (Nine Muses)

height — 163 cm
weight — 51 kg

Eunmi has a scar on her right foot/lower leg after she broke her ankle and it required surgery. She also has a tragus piercing in her left ear and an industrial in her right ear. It's not often they're visible due to her long hair, however.

fashion style

When at work, Eunmi wears a couple of skinny jeans and a t-shirt with her coat. That's just the easiest and simplest and she doesn't want more than that. when she's going out with friends or co-workers, she's often dressed in body-con dresses or skirts. in summer she likes maxidresses a lot, but she's not one to say no to the skinny jeans x t-shirt combo, even when she's just casual. and if she has a day at home for herself she'll wear her underwear and a silk robe and nothing else. nothing says relaxing more than underwear and a lovely robe. 

stiletoes are a fixed part of her style no matter what. even in snowy winter.

personality

— i am a girl. i am smart, i am strong and i can do anything. 

Eunmi is an independent girl and it shows in everything she does. She doesn't like relying on other people or what they can do for her. She simply wants to do everything on her own. There's a bit of insecurity behind the independence when it comes to things she can't do because Eunmi is not the kind of person to ask for help. It often drives her crazy when she's stuck in something that might cause her struggles but she would never-ever ask for help. Accepting help is easier but still not easy and you would have to offer help on your own - and be stern about it. Eunmi sees it as a bit of a failure when she needs somebody's help and she's been struggling the past couple of years with changing that mindset - that she isn't weak if she can't do everything on her own. It all has led to the belief that she's strong, but Eunmi isn't stronger than many other people. She does know herself pretty well however and that gives her an outer confidence that is to be admired. 

She really doesn't think of herself as any different from the rest of the world but she has often heard that she's cold. That's untrue, she's a very warm person - but she's very strong-willed and you shouldn't engage in a discussion with her. If she's not already right, she'll find as many evidences you need - and if it turns out she's wrong, she may manipulate you into thinking she's right anyway. Because she's a bad loser and she hates being wrong more than anything. It's not that she can't be wrong, of course she can, she doesn't know everything - she just doesn't like being corrected. It makes her feel stupid, a feeling she doesn't appreciate in the slightest. 

If you do not engage in discussions with Eunmi, she'll show you her very kind side. She's a good listener and her smile has a certain power that's indescribable and draws you closer. She'll make you feel at home, like you belong and like she has known you for the past 5 years. She likes helping people whenever she can and her humour might make you crack a smile - even if it's just so painfully weird. 

Eunmi keeps to herself most of the time, she doesn't have a need to include a lot of people in her life, but she's extroverted. It seems like quite the contradiction, but Eunmi really does enjoy meeting new people. She's often popular when she's with others and she may even hold attention when in a group, but she never felt the need to have a dozen friends - and thus she doesn't go out of her way to have a big social circle. She likes to keep a few people close rather than a lot of acquaintances. 

She's ambitious but this shouldn't be a surprise after what's already been said about her. Determination and ambition goes hand in hand with Eunmi and she is an eye-on-the-prize kind of girl. Don't get in her way. She would never admit it, but she would probably be able to throw you under the bus if it meant she got closer to her own goal. She doesn't intentionally want to harm people but getting to the top is her utmost goal and if it means hurting someone in the process then that someone was just unlucky. Eunmi would never tell anyone of what she's willing to do and she would probably do it so subtle that nobody would be able to realize that she stomped all over them, a trait she considers quite useful.

Eunmi is an articulate young woman and she usually means well. Usually. Because she also likes arguments and discussions and she may either manipulate you or just get nasty. She rarely spits out needless hate, but even hate can be delivered subtly and her words can be venom. Eunmi doesn't notice when this happens and she doesn't feel sorry. Don't come begging for her forgiveness if you did her wrong - she won't grant you a second chance. She might not give herself a second chance either but life happens.

Sure, she gets emotional - just like every other human. But she doesn't admit that because feelings are scary and they're an obstacles towards the success she has been seeking in her career and thus she would rather just ignore them and suppress them. It's not easy but so far she has succeeded. She hasn't been really in love with anyone - at least she's been able to suppress it. She feels anxious when she can't control her feelings but she would never tell you about them. Look for her feelings elsewhere, because they're not in her words. Actions speak louder than words anyway.

trivia

— likes

one — cats
two — rain
three — skiing
four — drinking alcohol
five — traveling
 

— dislikes

one — when people wants to talk about feelings
tWO — fire
THREE — vulnerability
FOUR — homophobia that especially targets transual people
FIVE — the feeling of losing control
 

— habits

one — braiding her hair if she gets nervous
two — smiling to strangers on the metro
THREE — kisses her cats when they snuggle up to her
FOUR — always moves her feet
 

— hobbies

one — skiing
two — cooking
THREE — dancing around in her underwear in her apartment
FOUR — people watching
 

— other facts

one — Owns two norwegian forest cats, Atlas and Ana. Both are sterilized
two — Celebrates Norways National Day on May 17 every year by hanging up a Norwegian flag in her living room windows. It's a little silly but she's so used to celebrating it and she likes it - it feels like home in a still slightly foreign country and foreign culture
THREE — Is a huge fan of L'arc-En-Ciel (J-rock)
FOUR — Her favorite food is taco
FIVE — She doesn't exactly fancy octopus although she's used to seafood. It's just ... octopus is damn weird
six — Has quite a lot of nightmares 
seven — Showers daily, not because she's dirty but because she loves the time under the water - it's her way of relaxing
eight — She doesn't like it when people sit beside her on public transport, she needs her personal space (and there's not a lot of personal space on the 5 PM metro line)
nine — She has a horrible humor, her brother would describe it as "the worst" and she laughs at the most ridiculous things
ten — Isn't a and can be quite dominating in bed
eleven — Her favorite color is purple
twelve — Likes her coffee black
thirteen — Visits Minho quite often where he works ("because of the animals, not because of him")
fourteen — Usually works from 10.30 AM to 5 PM - depending on her researching process
fifteen — Is not a morning person
SIXteen — Doesn't like smoothies
SEVENteen — Doesn't consider herself y at all

 

background

social class — upper class
education — molecular biology and biological chemistry (bachelor's degree) and molecular bioscience (master's degree) at University of Oslo
employment — scientist at SIST - bacterial gene modification

Eunmi was 1 year old when her father was sent to the South Korean embassy in Norway and of course he didn't leave his family behind. As the daughter of the South Korean ambassador Eunmi lived a pretty comfortable life. She didn't really need anything. Her parents tried teaching her a little Korean, but it wasn't any wonder that Norwegian became her first language, just like her older sister easily converted into Norwegian and forgot most of her Korean. 

Eunmi's Norwegian name became Emma and she grew up under that name. In fact, sometimes she may find herself not reaction to Eunmi because she's so used to Emma. But Emma was easier for everybody and it was easier in school as well. 

When she started school she quickly fell in love with mathematics and the more sciency subjects compared to language and the more creative classes. Her teachers had no doubt that here was a girl that was going to be something extraordinary if she wanted to and they encouraged her love for science. 

She was never bullied for her race, but she did struggle a little with her Asian identity in a primarily white country when she entered her teens because she was just different from the rest of them. Her friends didn't treat her any different, however, and she quickly felt at ease with who she was. Her love for science only grew throughout school.

When she was 16 her sister came out as transual and it didn't really sit well with their parents. Despite living in a western country, their parents still held their somewhat conservative Korean values and Eunmi's sister (now brother) was throwned upon. Eunmi took her brother's side and promised him that she would always support him. The incident led the two siblings closer but also detached them a little from their parents. Eunmi would never give up her brother and let him on his own.

At the age of 18 she went on a skiing vacation with a couple of friends and returned with a broken ankle and a stay at the hospital where she had surgery. She was on crutches for about a month before she slowly began walking on her foot again. At that time she swore she was never going skiing again yet she found herself skiing the next winter. 

She finished high school at age 19 and immediately went to college at University of Oslo to study molecular biology and biological chemistry. 3 years later she graduated with an A and a bachelor's degree and she started her masters. 

During the last year of her masters, she read about SIST on the internet and decided she wanted to apply. It would mean getting to know her roots (something that got her curious and her parents proud) and it would mean a huge chance to work with amazing scientists. So she bit the sour apple and started studying the Korean language. As she graduated with her master's, she also flew to the UK to obtain her TOPIK test. 

current events

Eunmi scored a job at SIST 6 months after she finished her education and suddenly found herself in South Korea. She lives in an apartment in Yongsan-gu, Seoul while she earns her own money. Her father has told her that he wants to pay a little of her bills if she needs it but she doesn't want his help. She wants to do it on her own. She has now been in Korea for 2 years and she's doing fairly alright although her social circle isn't as big as it could've been.

Her brother is still in Norway and he doesn't have much contact with their parents. Eunmi talks to her brother on the phone or on skype quite often but he seems to be in some sort of depression and she hates that she's so far away. She's been telling him to go see a therapist, but he doesn't want to, reason unknown to Eunmi. It's causing her a lot of stress.

On June 8 she was talking with her brother over Skype when the electricity suddenly died and she has never cursed as much in her life as she did that day. Nothing helped however and she had to text her brother and go to sleep. Needless to say she didn't get much sleep, worrying too much over her brother and what he'd told her about his most-likely depression right before the electricity got cut.

family

father — Ryu Jaeho // 57 // South Korean ambassador at the embassy in Norway // Jaeho is a very busy man and he doesn't have a lot of time to his family. He regrets it a little but he's also very serious and he's more career-oriented than he was ever family-oriented. He can be quite warm when he's finally present though and he definitely fit better into the Norwegian culture compared to his wife // Not really close, not really distant either. The inbetween? She doesn't hate her father - and he's very proud of her although he had wished she had gone into politics instead. They don't talk that often and they don't have deep conversations but Eunmi is quite content with that.

mother — Kim Younghee // 54 // housewife // A traditional woman that values her culture very high and wants to do everything to preserve it. Somewhat stern to the outer world but she does love her children, she's just not very good at expressing her emotions. Some would call her a tigermom // She was the most displeased with Jonathan and so Eunmi's relationship with her mother got a little more restrained. After a couple of years, they're trying to open up but Eunmi is still trying very very hard to let her mother see just what a wonderful son Jonathan is. They don't have deep conversations either.

older brother — Ryu Jonathan (birth name: Ryu Seoyeon) // 28 // chef at Maaemo Restaurant // transual - ftm // Jonathan is a very ambitious man, but he's been shot-down because of his uality and it's led to a very insecure man as well. He rarely smiles and he's plagued by depression but underneath all the sadness and inferiority is a strong personality that knows what they want // The two are close and talks on skype at least once a week unless one of them is very busy. He's super proud of her and she wants nothing but the best for him. Eunmi wants him to visit her but so far both are them are quite busy with their respective lives.

friends

best friend — Hannah Nilsen // 27 // Psychologist // Hannah is a little like a hippie, she's free-spirited and she loves nature a lot. She believes in the good in everybody, she's a little naive and she likes psychoanalysing. But she's quick to find failures in herself and her self-esteem isn't all that high which causes a lot of doubts that she can mask in her professional life but can't hold back in private // Eunmi and Hannah are best friends and have been since college. The fact that their friendship isn't from childhood doesn't faze either of them, they're quite content with each other. They know each other extremely well and Hannah has visited Eunmi more than once in South Korea despite busy lifestyles. She's also the mother of a baby girl.

close friend — Jung Minho // 29 // Vet // Minho is a warm person. His smile makes days and he is a social butterfly. He likes goofing around and he's rarely super serious though he can be serious. He's not really stressed either but when insecurity kicks in, he becomes silent and withdrawn // Minho is Eunmi's best Korean friend. They ran into each other quite literally (very clichéd indeed) in the airport and she had to take him to the hospital when it turned out he sprained his ankle and couldn't stand afterwards. The meeting has now become an intern joke and Eunmi still mocks him with the fact that he is the man and he sprained his ankle. Either way, it developed into a pretty close friendship and they talk about pretty much everything.

others

co-worker — Hwang Minseo // 31 // scientist at SIST // Minseo is a nosy individual. She doesn't mean harm, she's just so awfully curious and she likes knowing everything and everyone. She's extremely friendly to everyone she meets, some may even describe her as fake but that's untrue. Her social life is pretty much all the excitement in her life // Minseo is sort of like the company gossip although she of course keeps the experiments a secret. She knows everybody and also what they're up to. She took Eunmi under her wing when Eunmi first started working at SIST and Eunmi enjoys the conversations they have over lunch. She doesn't tell her much about herself though because she knows the Minseo would most likely tell someone else.

SEOUL INSTITUTE OF science and TECHNOLOGY QUESTIOnNAIRE

— Please answer all question to the best of your ability. 

HOW did you first meet the experiment? — I ... uh. That's kind of awkward, so do I have to elaborate on that? ... He ... uh, came up to me with an umbrella when it was pouring down. I didn't know he was the experiment. 

How do you feel about meeting someone who has superpowers? did you believe him at first? — Did I believe? What kind of joke is this? Of course I didn't believe it at first, that's ridiculous. Nobody in their right mind would believe that kind of thing, but he got me convinced. But I mean ... I met him as a normal man and I don't think his powers changed my perception of him. At least not for long. 

How do you feel about sist after hearing about the experimentation? did your perception change? — I feel torn. SIST could've given me the kickstart of my career I really really wanted, they're recognized for their research but ... they experiment secretly on humans and I don't want to be a part of that because that's horrific. I don't really know what to think.

what are your plans for the future? — I don't know. I really don't know. I'll figure it out, hopefully. Apply elsewhere, maybe there's somewhere else I can work. I .. really don't know.

send the application

return to the story

kim minseok

— park chanyeol

personality before — 

Fun-loving and spontaneous was the words to describe Kim Minseok. He was always up for hanging out and he never stood up on his friends. Loyal to the bone and fun to hang around, he was a popular young man. As a child he was a little more withdrawn, prone to thinking of things that he shouldn't have been wondering about. His love for philosophy never subsided and it wasn't uncommon to find Minseok during midnight, watching stars and contemplating life and the universe. But the philosophical and thoughtful boy was also the one to convince friends to sneak into haunted places and explore what seemed unexplored. He was a popular boy during school but few ever really fell in love with him. That was probably because most saw him as the friend and not the lover. 

Minseok never minded being the friend however. He didn't need love as such and sure, during his late teens he was curious about girls but he had all the time in the world. His friends used to mock him with being a but that was a false accusation because Minseok wasn't a . Despite his wide smile and fun-loving outgoing personality he did have secrets he only involved few people in. Few could probably point out his bad sides but Minseok had bad sides like everybody else. He had a habit of following the crowd, which also meant that he didn't stand up for those weaker than himself and he had a habit of overlooking sadness, bullying and other forms of discrimination. Minseok did spend some time during his philosophical midnights thinking over why he was such a push-over, but when it all came down to it, it was so much harder to change, so he didn't.

PERSONALITY after  — 

The fun-loving and spontaneous man that had been taken from Yongsan Garrison Army Base on the day of his best friend's enlistment soon disappeared in the hands of SIST. He withdrew from the crowd and only had contact with the other 8 experiments, none of them which he calls friends. Minseok hasn't called anyone a friend in the past 4 years and some would say that his power has overtaken his heart. It hasn't. He's just very vary of people now. He eyes them with great suspicion and doesn't get close to anybody. Even as they plan their escape he doesn't plan on going back to the person he was. He just wants to live as isolated as possible, but that - of course - is impossible and Minseok is a person who needs social contact. On the opposite end of the spectrum he has gained a sense of right and wrong he didn't have before. He's stronger than he was before mentally and he will break in if he sees unjust happening. It just doesn't happen that he sees anything very often when he only leaves his apartment late at night. 

Minseok has a newfound love in philosophy, he's certain it's the only thing that has kept him sane in the past four years and he sometimes questions his own sanity because how the can he be sane when he's been experimented on for four years? He likes deep conversations and those times are the only times where he may leave his guard down. Beneath the vary exterior lies the same childish glow as before and Minseok would lie if he said he didn't miss his spontaneous side.

relationship & HISTORY — 

24-hour stores are a blessing. Especially if your name is Ryu Eunmi, you're an uprising scientist and you realize at 3 AM that you just got your period and you have no more tampons. They're also a blessing if your name is Kim Minseok and you're hungry and your refrigerator is empty. They're not that much of a blessing when the floors have just been cleaned, your stiletoes are slippery and  you suddenly knock down some guy's food and it spills all over the floor. 

He glares at her and she apologizes and squats down to help him get everything again. It's a very cliché meeting but it doesn't get better when she slips again and has to grip his shoulder. Eunmi mumbles an apology and hurries out of the store, only to get a period cramp and remember that she forgot to buy tampons. She groans and contemplates walking back in when someone taps her shoulder and she spins around to face the same stranger from the store. She's pretty sure she's blushing out of embarrasment but it certainly doesn't get any better when he hands her a package of tampons and says 'you forgot this'. 

And that is how the two of them meet each other. 

Eunmi is pretty sure she'll never run into him again - and man does she hope she's right because was that just embarrassing or not? - but she's not that lucky. Minseok didn't think much of it but when he sees the same woman fumbling with her umbrella under a bus stop before stepping into the soaking rain, he decides to help her. Just this once, right? He hands her an umbrella and she sends him a smile that makes him feel awfully weird, it almost makes him feel appreciated - a thing he hasn't felt for a long time. She thanks him and wants to offer him something for his help but realizes she only has a spare button in her jacket pocket. He accepts it as a joke, says it was nothing and leaves. Eunmi stares after him.

Minseok's powers isn't very helpful when it comes to helping people but on an early night stroll (11 PM) he sees Eunmi helping an elderly lady over the street and he decides that maybe he can do a little good, even without his powers. Maybe the world isn't as bad as he first thought it was.

The first time they talk, really talk, is an early morning at 3.45 AM when Eunmi breaks her heel on her favorite stiletos and succumbs to her tragedy in an alley. She hears footsteps and tries pressing herself closer to the wall, suddenly afraid it's a ert or a and she's not going to be able to defend her in any way. The person stops right in front of her and for a second time stands still while she mentally prepares herself to be assaulted. He doesn't assault her, instead he asks her why she's here in the middle of the night. She has half a mind to ask him the same but doesn't and instead just relays her horrible evening-and-night to the stranger. He sits down beside her and they talk until the sun shows itself in the horizon and he leaves her. She has a strange feeling in her chest when she gets home.

Eunmi tries to find the same stranger in the same alley later in the evening but it's not late enough and her work has been super unsuccessful so she retreats home and hopes to forget him. She doesn't. One night, after a final break through - though not at all that big, she's on her way home when she finds herself walking towards the alley where she'd talked to him. She scolds herself because this is ridiculous but sits down nonetheless. He shows up at 2.13 AM and she's almost asleep. They spend 30 minutes talking before she's so close to falling asleep that he asks her to go home.

They meet up in the alley and their meetings become more frequent and more dangerous as well. She brings him to her apartment and he swears he works nightshift and that's why they can only meet at night. And she's tired but research is going up-and-down like usual and she enjoys her time with him so she willingly gives up her sleep for him.

There's laughter and light-hearted conversations. She tells him about her dreams of becoming a world-renowned scientist but doesn't mention where she works and he tells her of his philosophical thoughts. They spend midnights with laughter towards the moon and it's purely on instinct when she puts her head on his shoulder. It makes him withdraw a little and she apologizes for making him uncomfortable. The atmosphere is a little awkward afterwards and Eunmi spends the day after complaining to Hannah over skype.

Minseok makes a move next when their fingers brush against each other while they're eating ice cream on a summer evening. He links their pinky's and she smiles and links their hands fully. He feels alive - and it's something he never thought he would experience again. She feels at home, a feeling she has been longing after since she arrived in Korea. 

They both feel like strangers to Korea despite being Korean nationals but they share this bond and their feelings grow. 

Their first kiss is shared in her apartment. She's cooking dinner and he wraps his arms around her, complaining about Atlas not giving him attention and she laughs and turns around, only to face him. Both their hearts speed up when he kisses her, but she reciprocates. That's also the first time they have . 

Their relationship is built on a feeling of belonging. He doesn't know that she works with SIST and she doesn't know that he has powers. He doesn't tell her about the last four years of her life and she doesn't mind it. Some things are not to be told. 

Hannah visits her in Korea when Eunmi realizes that she's forgotten to make ice cubes and Minseok, without thinking, creates some for her. It results in a conversation that sounds a lot like "what the was that?" "nothing" "how the is making ice cubes with your hands nothing?" "its.. i dont want to talk about it eunmi" "you better ing tell me about this later." So he does. When Hannah leaves 4 days later he tells her that SIST has been experimenting and that he is cryokinetic. Eunmi thinks he's ridiculous and asks him to please consult a therapist. When he shows her, however, she starts doubting. She swears in her silent mind to never tell him that she works for SIST and starts doubting her work-place as well. 

Their relationship is a little unstable in the weeks to follow, Eunmi can't quite grasp the concept of superpowers because that's just ridiculous but she can't really unsee what he has shown her. She calls him to meet up with her and tells him that she's sorry for doubting him and they make up - not that there had been a real argument to begin with.

Eunmi is pretty sure she loves Minseok but she's scared of her own emotions and she hasn't told him. He did tell her that he loves her. She cooks for him and gives him butterfly kisses on his nose when he leaves. He stays over at her place for days in a row, she even joked he could just move in but he hasn't and he doesn't really intend to. Their relationship is built on communication although some things are still hidden and more often than not they bring laughter to each other and a light hearted atmosphere. They don't want to be moody and neither of them are particularly fond of naming their feelings so it's often hidden. Sure, they have fights as well but they're usually really petty. She likes skinship in public, he doesn't. But she's happy with him, the emotional talks will come later, she's sure of it.

ending — It's really just an accident when the leaks under and it's nothing but pure unfortunate circumstances that leaves Eunmi pregnant after a very normal night of fun. She doesn't really notice until she's one and a half month pregnant and that's where everything sort of seems to just go wrong. When she tells him, he detaches himself. He's scared that the child will get his superpowers and he doesn't want them to be experimented on either. He also starts to doubt her intentions when he finds out that she works at SIST although there were nothing impure about them. Minseok begs her to get an abortion but that isn't needed when she miscarriages at two and a half month. He draws away, stops contacting her and she feels so miserably alone in a world that suddenly seems far too unfair and way too harsh. 

other — 

He starts smoking after he's released and Eunmi disapproves so much but she doesn't want to force him to quit - although she does make remarks whenever he goes to get a cigarette

She promises to bring him back to Norway so he can see where she grew up and he jokes that they have to go to the Arctic circle so he can be "home"

They usually have morning when they do have - the door to the bedroom is closed, the cats on the other side

He is better at remembering to buy tampons than she is, so it's usually him that makes sure she's stocked up

She likes ignoring him in favor of her cats because it makes him come tickle her in jealousy

He enjoys her laughter more than anything

She complains about her long hair after showers and he grabs her brush and helps her brush it without a word

He complains about cleaning and she laughs at him and hunts him down with the duster - it usually ends up getting the cats excited as well

She usually talks about Minseo's gossip and he tells her that she's just as bad as Minseo - something she denies

He wants her to go meet her friends but doesn't want to meet them

She grabs his hand on their late evening strolls while he guides her to the park to look at the stars

— maybe i'm scared because you mean more to me than any other person. you're everything i think about, everything i want and everything i need.