it's her, the card holder

 

Full Name : Chae Ara
Other Name : Aria Chae
Nicknames : 
— Snow White / popular for her cold expression and her pale white skin, classmates gave her this name.
— Tease / because of her provocative nature, she's called this by her guardian and her best friend.
— Aria / the name that kids from her elementary school gave her. her younger brother clings to this name (as if he's clinging to the old Ara) and insists on calling her this. Sometimes she doesn't realize he's talking to her unless he adds 'noona' to the end of it.
— Princess / both a petname from her brother Gunhee, and a petname from her current boyfriend Hyungwon. Gunhee insisted he had the name first, so her boyfriend now calls her 'angel' instead.
Ethnicity : Korean American
Birthplace & Hometown : New York, USA.

Appearance : Ara has sharp, cat-like eyes that are lighter than most. She has a small beauty mark below her left eye, and another small birthmark on her thigh. She has a small scar on her cheek, where a string from a violin snapped and whipped across her cheek. She has ear piercings, as well as a cartilage piercing.
Style : The way she dresses always attracts attention to her. In the summer, it's not surprising to see her dress a little more revealing than most girls in her university. She likes low-cut tops and short shorts, but she also likes tight jeans and baggy sweaters. She has a different style every day, depending on whatever article of clothing she pulls out first. She's most seen wearing a leggings and a baggy t-shirt with other accessories, whether that be a soft cardigan or edgy blazer. She's usually in monochromatic or pastel colors, though no matter what she wears, she tends to stand out.

I KNOW YOU INSIDE OUT

 

pos intelligent, alluring, observant, devoted
provocative, detached, passive, cold neg

"Have you ever met someone that's never shown a single shred of emotion before? No? Well, then you haven't met Ara. It took me months to get her to open up to me, and even after, a smile from her is hard to come by. I would say the right part of her brain doesn't exist, and that she only lives her life based off of logic and analysis, but she does have an admiration for the arts. She's extremely smart and pretty, but she lacks in...humanity. She's like a robot. I love her and all, she's a great friend since she's a good listener and I know she would never leave me behind in situations where I need her, but she's not good at being empathetic. It's something I've gotten used to, and accepted since it's a part of her but others might not like it so much. Our classmates think she's really pretty, but more than her beauty, she's known for her extremely good grades yet cold personality. It's like she's perfect in everything else except for her sense of humanity."
- Lim Yerin, the best friend

"Ah, Ara! She's honestly just the cutest thing, giving me those blank stares all the time. Though I question how she can be so detached all the time. It's hard for her to understand and express emotions, most likely because of that event from her past. Oh man, but you'd think that with a face like hers she would be the sweetest little angel, but in fact, she's the opposite. When she doesn't have a blank look in her eye, she looks almost sensual! Ara is the biggest tease to ever exist. She tends to date people flippantly--they're always boys who only like her for her pretty face. Well, I hate it, but I can't tell her what to do with her life. It's just another part of her that I adore. She's really smart though, so no matter the situation, she knows how to solve it logically! It helps sometimes, but I know her life would be easier if she could feel what others did. I hope she'll learn one day."
- Antigone, the guardian.

"She cares a lot about her friends and family, but if you didn't know her long enough, you wouldn't be able to tell. She's extremely loyal, and I know no matter what happens, she wouldn't leave my side. She's sort of like a puppy, but less happy, I guess? Ha. Well, we've been together all of our lives, so it makes me happy to know that I understand her the most. She's hard to read, but there are small things. Her eyebrows twitch when she gets upset, and her lips curl slightly when she's pleased. These are hard to come by, but since I've been with her for so long, I came to understand her small little habits. She tends to avoid conflict, since she doesn't like getting involved in any sort of drama whatsoever. She's a peaceful person overall, something I adore about her. Of course, I disapprove of her...romantic life, if I can even call it that. I'm her older brother after all, I don't want my little sister dating a new guy every other week. But she has this aura that just attracts people to her. She makes people want to talk to her, and she's not exactly anti-social, so to be polite she'll converse back. She knows her manners, but she's never welcoming whenever strangers approach her. She's my baby sister, and I've known her for so long, but I still don't understand everything about her just yet."
- Chae Gunhee, the older brother.

Background :

Once upon a time, there was a happy family of five living in a small apartment in the middle of Manhattan, New York. The family consisted of the mother, the father, and their three children. They had two boys and one girl. The only daughter in the family was always treated with love by both her older and younger brother, as well as her parents. In their eyes, she was the most precious gem to ever exist. The baby girl's name was Ara, nicknamed Aria by her grade school friends after a cute mispronounciation, and she was the happiest girl to ever exist. 

"Baby Ara, your daddy and I used to love each other."

Ara can't remember when she realized her family was falling apart. Her little brother Jaeha was always clinging to their father, while her older brother Gunhee and her would stand by their mother's side. The siblings grew distant from each other, and Ara found herself smiling less and less each day. It was like the earth split into two, and their parents were further apart than ever. There were never loud arguments, but even the young children could tell their parents weren't as loving as they used to be. During the summer before sixth grade, Ara was pulled into her mother's lap--something that hadn't happened since she was six or seven--and she was told she'd be moving to Korea to live with her maternal grandparents. Of course, her mom would be coming with. When she asked about little Jaeha, her mother flashed her a weak smile and shook her head. Ara knew then, that her family had fallen apart. Jaeha now refused to talk to his older siblings, despite the bond they once shared before the divorce. When Ara, Gunhee, and her mother were at the airport, the little girl ran up to her little brother and tried to grab his hands, only for him to snatch them away from her. Though her mother scolded him, Jaeha did nothing but hide behind his father's leg and scowl. The hurt in her heart from her baby brother's unfamiliar expression turned into a scar, and became one of the biggest reasons as to why Ara decided to shut herself off from the human side of her.

A few weeks after they moved to Korea, her family noticed the change in their baby girl. She no longer smiled that bright smile they once loved. Instead, she had this dead look in her eyes that they never thought they'd see on her. If one were to ask her now if she had ever felt true happiness, she wouldn't be able to remember the happy days in America with her father and her youngest brother. Instead, she would answer with a shrug.  Worried for his younger sister, Gunhee found himself following her around and trying to get her to smile again. He brought her flowers (that he stole) from their grandparent's flower shop just down the street--baby's breaths, the ones she adored. He learned the guitar for her and played her favorite songs, and she would clap each time. He would even offer to buy her fried chicken from the expensive fried chicken spot a few blocks down from her school. She always had a flash of joy in her eyes, a small 'thank you' leaving her lips each time he did something to please her, but he realized soon enough that he would never be able to get that happy little Ara they once all cherished back. She changed, and they all had to accept her that way.

Despite being the new kid in school, she was never bullied. She had an aura of mystery to her that always drew boys and girls alike to her. People always wanted to be friends with her, though she always pushed them away with saccharine words paired with a blank expression. She was athletic, smart, and pretty. The only bad thing about her was her terrible--or lack of--personality. In her first year of high school, she started dating randomly. If a boy confessed to her, she would accept, and they'd date for a week before she dumped him. When her friends and family asked her why she did so, she would stumble over her words--a sign that she was flustered despite the lack of change in her expression. She told them she wanted to learn of people's emotions, and human empathy, through dating different people. This continued throughout her high school career, and lingered through her college years. Ara wanted to change, but she's definitely going about it in a strange way.

Though the college she goes to is particularly close to her grandparent's apartment building where her family lives, her mother insisted she move out to live elsewhere to experience independence. Never one to disobey her mother, she did as she said and moved into a small condo with a bunch of other girls close to her university. Though it took a while for her to warm up to them, she gradually grew to accept them into her life. Unlike in high school, she isn't always the center of attention in college--which Ara personally much prefers. Though she attracts gazes, and she still has a new boyfriend biweekly, she finds that she's slowly learning how to express emotions through her past relationships. She now flashes small smiles when she sees something that makes her happy and small laughs each time she hears something funny. Though it's a slow process, Ara is slowly becoming more and more human.

Lifestyle : Ara spends most of her free time in her room, with a book in her hands. Being a literature major means she has to dedicate majority of her free time with a stack of books--not that she minds, she picked this major, after all. When not in her room with a Shakespeare classic or Greek tale in her pale hands, she's working at her grandparents' flower shop. She does get paid (though she at first refused to take money from her grandparents), but 90% of the reason why she works there is because she likes flowers and she likes helping out her grandparents out. She's usually at the flower shop right after classes end until her grandma shooes her away to go back home. Sometimes, on weekends, she'll hang out with her brother or with the girls in the condo unit, but most of the time she prefers staying in her room. Her older brother will visit twice or thrice a week even though the male has his own classes and laze around in her room while she reads.

Relationships : 

  

Chae Gunhee (21) / older brother / computer science student

"Gunhee? He's kind of...kind of clingy. I mean I love him and all, since he's my older brother, but he cares more about my life than my own. He's a bit overbearing in a way, I suppose. Sometimes I tell him he'll never get a girlfriend this way, and he says he could always get one with his 'good looks'. He's a little too confident in himself, though I guess it makes sense since I frequently see girls fawning over him all the time. He likes to fool around, too."

He's famous for two things. One, his good looks. People say that their family is filled with good looking people, blessed with good genes. Second, is his overwhelming attachment to his little sister. He's typically seen with her, or walking to her, if not in class. Others say he won't ever get a girlfriend because he loves his sister too much--and Ara murmurs that this may be true whenever he's hugging her tightly to him. He's willing to do anything for her. She just needs to say the words, and he'll be on it. His mother and grandparents say he spoils her, but he can't help himself. He loves teasing her, picking her up over his shoulder and swinging her around, or peppering kisses all over her cheeks. He's like a little puppy, always following her around and clinging to her. She honestly doesn't mind it, but she worries for his reputation. (fc: joo woo jae)

 

Chae Jaeha (18) / younger brother / high school student

"Jaeha...well, we live on opposite sides of the world. I honestly don't remember what my life was like when I lived with him. Gunhee says we were really close, but when I talk to him now over the phone he seems awkward and uncomfortable. He says I changed a lot, but I forgot what I was like before I moved in with my grandparents. Mom says he's a sweet boy now though. He's a little stubborn and self-centered since he's practically an only child, living in America with dad. But he's a lot more respectful than he once was. All I know is that he's just as arrogant as Gunhee. Guess the confidence ran in the family too. Apparently he's coming to visit in a few months, so maybe we'll get along."

He blames himself for how much his sister's changed, so even though his relationship with his mother and his brother have already been repaired, Jaeha just can't seem to find it in himself to talk to his older sister the way he used to when they were little. It's even more awkward that she forgot their entire past. She sees him practically as a stranger now. If they didn't video chat so often due to their mother's request, she would probably know little to nothing about him. Even when they do talk, since Gunhee is with Ara half of the time, the eldest of the three does most of the talking and Ara is quiet. Unlike his elder siblings who have a mature beauty, he has a cute look, and he's extremely proud of himself for it. Though the two youngest siblings aren't quite as close as they should be, Ara still cares for Jaeha, and vice versa. (fc: nam yoon soo)

  

Lim Yerin (20) / best friend / literature student

"Yerin is kind of like Gunhee. Maybe that's why she managed to get so close. Though, she's much more outgoing and social than he is. She's a romantic, and believes in true love. She's also extremely talkative, and I love her, I do, but sometimes she needs to quiet down. We could be in a library and she'd still use her outside voice. Just like Gunhee, she likes to pry until I voice my problems to her. Though she still sticks around me even though I am the way I am, so I'm grateful for her being my best friend."

They were on the same volleyball team in high school, so they knew each other before college. Yerin and Ara went to the same university, and ended up with the same major, so Yerin insisted on getting closer to the girl that used to be a teammate. Though they're complete opposites, they work out well together. Yerin talks endlessly and Ara silently listens while doing her work at the same time. And though she is quite cold and quiet, if Yerin goes into one of her phases where she's constantly whining about not having a boyfriend, Ara will go out there and find someone to ask her best friend out on a date to sate her desire for love. Though she doesn't say it out loud, Ara would do anything for Yerin. And Yerin, who voices it very loudly, would do anything for Ara. (fc: jung min hee)

 

Cheon Song Yi (18) / friend / multimedia arts student

"Well, I'll say this. She's easy to get along with. Though we're not extremely close, I don't hate being around her. She's kinda like Yerin, but of course I wouldn't compare two of my friends. They're both unique in their own way. Song Yi's easy to talk to, which is a good trait of hers. Though she's pretty easy to trick, which Gunhee likes to take advantage of."

Ara is close with Song Yi to an extent. Though she enjoys having Song Yi around, and likes hang out with her every once in a while, they're certainly not best friends. Though Ara's always had problems making friends, and Song Yi is once of the people she let in the quickest. Ara enjoys watching Song Yi as it amuses her, so if the girl ever asked her if she wanted to hang out, she wouldn't hesitate to say yes. Though Ara doesn't usually laugh at her jokes, there's always a twitch of a smile on her lips whenever she sees Song Yi's antics. Most likely, it won't take long for the two of them to get close. Just give it another year.

Interactions : Like Hyungwon, Antigone is naive. Ara feels the need to protect her and make sure she's not taken advantage of by anything strange. While the two girls don't talk much, Antigone enjoys laying in Ara's lap while she reads. Without Ara noticing, her guardian became attached to her and her cold attitude. So while Ara treats Antigone like a little girl, Antigone happily takes in Ara's occassional head-pats and gentle touches.

Back up Faceclaim : Ji Soo

pos optimistic, empathetic, romantic, naive
quiet, introverted, selfish, sensitive neg

"If I had to summarize Hyungwon in two words, it'd be 'little boy'. He's like a little boy who still thinks the world is perfect and wonderful, and it hurts me to think that one day someone will shatter that mentality of his. He's almost the complete opposite of Ara. He's always smiling, is extremely in tune with his emotions, trusts too easily, and believes in soulmates. He believes that everybody has some good in their heart, like the little child that he is, and honestly, he's like an angel that's too good for this world. I fear one day, someone will take advantage of that overwhelming kindness he holds. It's honestly a surprise that someone hasn't already done it."
- Haemon, the guardian

"Mm, well he's certainly interesting. I'm always a little more worried about him since he's so easy to let people in. Though he's not particularly outgoing, and tends to prefer staying inside and not socialising, he has a lot of friends. He's warm, so people are always attracted to him. They know he'll accept them no matter what. The total opposite of me, I guess. He doesn't talk very often, and when he asks me out on a date it's usually to the library or his own dorm. It's usually somewhere with not a lot of people. Antigone says sometimes my words hurt him, but I can't really tell since...you know. I don't have empathy like he does. But I try to hold back. He doesn't usually listen to what I say, and tends to do what he wants to do when we hang out. I don't mind it too much, since I like to go with the flow anyway, but just as he's selfish, he's possessive. Again, I don't mind it. Even though I date around, I've never cheated before, so he has nothing to worry about."
- Ara, the girlfriend

Background : Hyungwon grew up in an average, normal household. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, and was raised as the only child with two loving parents. His parents were a little wealthier than most, so he was homeschooled until his senior year of highschool. He was known by his classmates as the 'sheltered kid', though it certainly wasn't in a bad way. He was like a breath of fresh air in an environment filled with dirt. He was pure--he still is, and people found themselves drawn to him and his naivety. He was particularly popular despite him not speaking much, just because his presence was so warm and inviting to others. 

After graduating high school, Hyungwon insisted to his parents that he wanted to live alone--to learn what the world was really like. People have told him before that the world isn't as beautiful as he thinks. That there is dirt and trash out there littering their planet, yet he has yet to find it. He hopes they're wrong, and that the world is just as pretty as he has aspired it to be.

Lifestyle : Hyungwon, like Ara, spends most of his time in his room. He's majoring in nursing, so though he has more classes than Ara does, he always makes sure to take some time out of his day so they can meet up and talk. He spends more time in her room than she does in his, but once they're satisfied, he spends the rest of his day with his roommate, or alone. He's always willing to hang out with his friends if they call him out after classes (as long as he's not doing something that's due in less than a day). 

HIM, ME, AND OUR RED DECK OF CARDS

 

Meeting: On a chilly winter evening, Ara found a deck of cards tucked between a few baby's breaths while she was working at her grandparents' flower shop. Intrigued, she picked it up and examined the intricate case. The whole case was white, with barely visible lace designs. Not being able to suppress her curiosity, she made sure the flowers were all watered before she hurried out of the flower shop and into her room. It was one of the rare days where her brother was not waiting for her, so she her desk lamp and sat down before she pulled the top of the case off. Like the bouqet she found it in, the card's centerpiece was her favorite flower, the gypsophila--the baby's breath. The flowers themselves were the lightest of pink, only slightly distinguishable from the pure white lace designs that were similar to the case that held them. She flipped the card over and read the lines below curiously.

"I have no love for a friend who loves in words alone."

Of course, being a literature major, she knew instantly that it was a line from one of her favorite stories she read in high school--the tale of Antigone, Oedipus's daughter written by Sophocles. So she was less shocked when she realized her guardian's name was the same as the main character from that story, though her guardian was nothing like the headstrong girl from the story she adored.

It didn't take long for them to run into each other. Less than a week after she discovered her cards, Hyungwon found her sitting at the counter in her grandparents' flower shop. Her hands were lazily shuffling the cards, and the case laid haphazardly next to the cash register. Though he had first came in to buy flowers for his mother's birthday, his eyes were drawn to the case that looked exactly like his own. His eyes brightened and he walked over to her and grabbed her hands. Out of shock, Ara dropped her cards, and their eyes met for the first time. He recognized her as the campus beauty, the one known for her intelligence and her beautiful appearance. She recognized him as the little boy her friends in the condo unit told her about--the overgrown male that acted like a child, seeing the world as beautiful despite the dirt it withheld.

"Hey, so it seems we're soulmates! So will you go out with me?"

Luckily for Hyungwon, Ara was in one of those times where she had broken up with her previous boyfriend a week before, and was ready to find a new one in a month's time. Slowly, she nodded (though she couldn't help but find this stranger even stranger than strange) and she found herself now labelled as 'Jung Hyungwon's' girlfriend.

Relationship : Though they're dating, Ara finds that Hyungwon's concept of 'in a relationship' is much different than a lot of the guys she's dated before. Since they all know she's only going to date them for about a week or two before they get dumped, they're always quick to rush things. Kisses aren't hard to come by, and neither are somethings that grow even more intimate. Hyungwon, on the other hand, seems to really believe that they're soulmates and are meant to be for the rest of their lives. Because of that, he takes things extremely slowly. If Ara hadn't initiated their first kiss on their third week of dating, he probably never would've kissed her until their first year anniversary. Despite that, he loves to show skinship. Whenever they're out with their friends or even when they're just in one of their rooms, he doesn't hesitate to lace their fingers together or to wrap his arms around her waist and cuddle into her.

Hyungwon is showing her emotions faster than any of her past boyfriends ever have. He's already taught her about happiness, about sorrow, and anger and fury, and about anxiousness and nervousness. Compared to a lot of the others, their relationship is extremely smooth-sailing. The only problem is Ara's own unfeeling heart, and whether or not she'll be able to realize her love for him.

Interactions : They're a quiet couple. Others see them as boring, though they enjoy their silence together. He'll rest his head on her lap and she'll run her fingers through his hair. Sometimes, he'll ask her to read for him, and he'll do so. Sometimes, they argue. Though arguing tends to be Hyungwon getting angry and Ara looking to the side since she doesn't know how to express herself, and doesn't know how to calm him down. She's known to hurt him by accident, sometimes speaking too bluntly for his sensitive heart, but she always hugs him afterwards when Antigone tells her she's done wrong. He's opening up her heart and showing her emotions she's never felt before. She likes him, she knows that, but she has yet to figure out if she loves him or not. Despite them being quiet, Ara isn't afraid to show skinship in public, and neither is he (especially if one of her many ex-boyfriends is around). Sometimes, in the middle of his sentence, Ara will press a kiss to his lips and he'll swat at her to get her to stop. Other times, Ara will be trying to read and Hyungwon will quickly tackle her to the ground and press kisses all over her face until she's begging him to stop. Anyone that sees them says they're either 'cute' or 'disgustingly cute'.

Ending : 

"Hey, do you really love me?"

She looked up at him from her book--she was rereading 'Antigone'. Both the quotes in their deck of cards were from the story by Sophocles, and their guardians were named after the pair of main lovers, so she only thought it'd be right to read the book again. Ara tilted her head slowly as Hyungwon fidgted in his spot on her bed. 

"I love you."

It was all she could say. But she saw his expression darken. She didn't know what she did wrong, but she could tell he was upset. He scowled and pulled the deck of cards from the coffee table and dropped it onto the bed. He tugged off the case and dumped the cards onto the sheets. He passed her the card with the lines on them, and she did nothing but stare up at him curiously. She was confused at this point, and he could tell by the way she blinked her blank eyes innocently up at him.

"I have no love for a friend who loves in words alone."

His voice was breaking. He was about to cry. She reached out to comfort him, wrap him in her warm arms, but he pushed her away. She dropped Antigone and looked up at Hyungwon with wide eyes.

"When you say I love you, why do you have no love in your eyes? Why are you so cold?"

He got up and left her room, slamming the door shut behind him. Her book lay flat on the floor as she cleaned up the mess he made after throwing the cards around. Though she couldn't find the answer to his question for days on end. He sent her an apology, but she ignored it. He came knocking on her door, but she ignored him. He even went to her classes to talk to her, but she walked past him and ignored him like he didn't exist.

Until she found the answer, she couldn't talk to him.

It took a while, but he soon found her outside of his room with the same blank expression. She brushed her hair behind her ear, a sign he picked up after they dated that showed that she was nervous.

"I've dated hundreds of guys before you."

She started, and he flinched. She would've laughed if she could, but she didn't have the joy in her heart to do so.

"I have. And I know that makes you nervous. I know you want me to show you I love you rather than telling you I love you because you can't see it in my eyes, but I can't. I know it all."

Ara self-consciously rubs the scar on her cheek and he reaches out to her, but stops once she continues.

"I know you're opening my heart up. Hyungwon, you're showing me emotions I thought I lost forever. I've dated hundreds of guys before you, but you're the only one who's been able to show me so much of the world. So much of this beautiful world you see. And I don't know how to tell you in words besides 'I love you', but Hyungwon, I want to live in this beautiful world with you--no one else. So, I love you."

Her eyes were still blank, though sometimes they'd flicker with emotion. Yet, he still accepted her long and overdue apology. Though sometimes he would doubt they were meant to be together, she would reassure him and vice versa. Over time, Ara will begin to become human again.

the looks 

 

Oct 29 : Birthday
1996 : Year
20 : Age
Lee Sungkyung : FC
Choi Jinri : BackUp

TRIVIAS

 

likes. flowers, volleyball, the night sky, astrology, literature, sweets, stuffed animals. dislikes. winter, snow, rain, the cold, non-fiction, science class, running. hobbies. volleyball, reading, filling out her bullet journal, binge eating, shopping. habits. she rubs the scar on her cheek when she's nervous. she drinks orange juice before a big test or presentation. she likes to hug her stuffed animals to her chest whenever she feels angry. she always shuffles a deck of cards whenever her hands become too free and she's bored of her phone. trivia. she plays the violin, though she doesn't do it very often anymore / she hates having her picture taken / she is deathly afraid of spiders / she likes to rewrite her notes so look nice / her favorite stuffed animal is a huge bear that her older brother Gunhee bought for her. / sometimes she'll say something in English then quickly translate it to Korean / she owns a necklace that she always wears--it's a present from her grandmother. / tba.

THE CARDS

 

White : Color Scheme
Gypsophila : Logo
I have no love for a friend who loves in words alone. — Special Lines
No one loves the messenger who brings bad news. 
— Extra lines