　→ 　정하늘 IS SEARCHING FOR 王一博!

P.S. APPLICATION

–

lights to the moon!

birth name. lily haneul jung

nicknames.
— lil. just a shortened version of her already pretty short name !! used by her close friends back in the states.
— part-time fairy 알바요정. this is quite a common nickname in korea, though it's mostly publicized in the entertainment world when charming idols try their hand at a part-time job for a show, but haneul is called this by her managers and some of her co-workers who know how hard she works but also how diligently. it's mostly her bright personality that has earned her this nickname, since she always tries to smile when she works, hence the 'fairy'.
— bǎihé 百合. it translates to lily in chinese and yibo calls her this once he finds out her american name. initially he tells her the word for it just because she's curious, but it soon becomes a nickname.

birthdate. nov 22, 1998

birthplace. los angeles, ca

hometown. los angeles, ca

nationality. american

ethnicity. full korean

uality. heteroual

languages.

— english, 100%. english is her first language, so she is completely fluent. as a result of her diligent study habits, she has quite a broad vocabulary and is prone to using words that other people might not understand or typically use.

— korean, 90%. it's pretty much her second language, since she grew up with her grandparents who didn't speak much english, but she didn't speak it much outside of home, so while she's generally fluent and can pass for a native, occasionally she'll stumble over her words or not know how to fully express herself.

occupation. 4th year sociology major at yonsei university

moongkeul

moon

8/10

–

i wanna be me, me, me

faceclaim. lee saerom fromis_9

back-up faceclaim. son juyeon wjsn

appearance. she has a deep dimple on her right cheek and her light brown hair comes just above her chest. she usually keeps it down and just ties it up when she works, and due to a lack of time in mornings, she only wears minimal makeup - brows, light concealer, mascara, and very occasionally, eyeshadow. she's tall at 170cm and thin at 52kg (thanks to that poor person diet yakno) and is quite a muted beauty.

style. refer here for visualization! lily's style is quite casual and all about comfort, but it can vary on the range of effort. generally, though, she doesn't try too hard, since she doesn't really have much to work with. her closet can be a little small in comparison to others, but she thinks she's got all the staples. baggy sweaters and leggings for down days, cardigans and nice blouses for when she wants to dress up a little, oversized collar shirts and skinny jeans for hours at the library. her colors are pretty muted, nothing too bright or flashy, and she doesn't really wear skirts or dresses (and it's not...completely just because she doesn't own any...)

tell me, what's beneath the surface?

personality traits.

pos well-intentioned, compassionate, amicable, adaptable

( independent, sentimental, perfectionist, goofy )

insecure, reticent, passive, self-degrading neg

personality.

it is widely agreed by her peers that haneul is very likeable. generally, though, they don't have much more to say, because it's kind of hard to get to know her since she's always got somewhere to be. she's always given off good vibes, though, and is considered amicable by everyone she encounters, all of whom would testify to a positive first impression of her. she's super chill, always the type to be fine with anywhere for dessert, a little goofy, too, able to ease tension or awkwardness with a relevant joke or pun, and is just always welcomed in any group dynamic.

[ "hey guys, let's get going!" the department colleagues head out to get lunch together and one of them notices haneul tagging along. "oh, haneul, you're coming??!!" they ask in pleasant surprise. she smiles back, "yeah, i'm free today!" "oh, wow, finally!" the rest of the group chimes in in agreement and haneul chuckles. "whoa, i get it, you guys love me~" the group laughs good-naturedly, but no one denies it. ]

she doesn't really know this, though, since she's pretty much never around long enough to see the impact she makes on a crowd, and can actually be kind of insecure when it comes to wondering what people think of her. she knows she's busier than her other friends and that she doesn't hang out with them as much as they might like her to, so she worries that they don't care for her all that much. she can get a little self-degrading if she spends too much time thinking about it, so she tries not to. this isn't too hard since she's naturally a very reticent girl, having been conscious since a young age about the responsibilities she had that she felt prevented her from succumbing to emotional vulnerability, and she's grown up being pretty passive about everything. whether it's something that's made her feel hurt or sad or upset, she's good at just telling herself "it is what it is" and not letting it get to her too much.

[ jangmi flops onto the bed, ready for a night of snacks and romcoms and typical sleepover itinerary. she looks over at haneul to ask which movie they're watching first, only to see her slightly pouting at her phone. "what's your damage, kiddo?" haneul sighs. "nothing...i just...what if my department doesn't like me? i feel like i never hang out with them." "what?! haneul, i told you how well they spoke of you last time!" jangmi reminds her, exasperated of this topic by now. "i know, but...what if they were lying?? i don't think i'm a 'moodmaker' or that i'm that funny or anything..." "haneul, do i really need to go into my speel again about why you are so amazing?" haneul chuckles, flopping down next to jangmi with a sigh. "no, it's okay. whatever, it's fine! even if they do hate me, can't really blame them since i do work a lot." she shrugs, really not caring, and jangmi rolls her eyes at how casually she gets over these things. ]

and maybe it's rooted in this passiveness, but haneul is never too strongly bothered by anything and is thus quite adaptable to various changing surroundings. she's swift on her feet, quick to learn, and witty when needed, so sudden change is rarely a problem. this definitely comes in handy with her several part-time jobs, and combined with her knack to be quite the perfectionist, it makes haneul pretty much the perfect employee. she does her jobs well and customers like how friendly and welcoming she is. in this way, her work life speaks to her good nature, too. she's a strong, independent woman, raised to be hard-working and diligent in every task she's given, so of course that yields admiration from those around her.

[ "hey haneul, sorry to ask you this, but can you take another shift this saturday again? i know you did last saturday, too, but with hyemi injured and my kid's nationals coming up..." her manager's tone is a mix of apologetic and coaxing, and haneul just chuckles, sighing a little on the inside. even so, the small sigh is the extent of her inner disappointment. "yeah, i can do that!" she reaches for the calendar to edit the shifts, then turns around to help a customer who accidentally ordered the wrong snack through their pc. she handles it swiftly, and her manager watches in approval, feeling like a proud geppetto. ]

overall, she's just a very chill person - well-intentioned and compassionate, always wanting the best for those around her and sometimes losing track of her own well-being as a result. she's caring, though she doesn't exactly put in the effort to show it all that much, and is often compared to the wind, or a warm breeze, because she comes and goes, but everyone feels the impact of her, even a little. she may seem a little too cool and aloof for some, especially on first impression, but she's really just a sweet girl, with big dreams and an even bigger heart, who can be sentimental and simpy sometimes, too!

[ haneul abruptly stops walking, pulled in by a window display, and jangmi halts, both mid-step and mid-sentence. she turns back to see what caught haneul's attention and chuckles. it's a display of music boxes and other mechanical doodahs just in time for the christmas season. it's exactly the kind of thing that can get haneul to stop in her tracks and jangmi can not understand why. "ugh, aren't these so cute?? look, it's a ferris wheel! and - oh my god, is that one playing that song from castle in the sky?" jangmi shakes her head. "aren't these kind of a...waste of money?" haneul turns to her, offended. "how dare!! these are...beautiful. imagine how much heart goes into making one...they hold whole stories!" jangmi rolls her eyes, but she's smiling. "oh god, christmas turns you into such a sick romantic." haneul sighs. "oh god, it really does. oh shoot, we have to be shopping for baram's present, huh?? let's go, no time to simp haneul!!" she admonishes herself. ]

background.

lily was born in america unto a loving single mother who had been abandoned by her then-fiance upon news of the pregnancy. the despair of the neglect and the stress on her body didn't help lily's mother's already fragile physique, and she became increasingly sick upon giving birth. she did her best to raise her daughter for the first couple years, but as her body became weaker, it was recommended by her relatives that she return to her homeland for proper treatment. thus, lily's mother leaves to south korea to be looked after by diligent caretakers and her doctor uncle, and 8 year old lily is left with her grandparents to finish her education in the states, where the curriculum is not as overbearing and demanding as korea. of course, this greatly saddened lily, but she was a strong little girl, having been raised by many adult figures who always gave their all in everything they did, and so she pushed on for her mom.

if having grown up without a father figure wasn't rough enough for haneul, living with her grandparents doesn't prove much easier. they do their best, of course, but age is an inevitable stumbling block, and many times, lily finds herself taking care of them. due to various situations of this similar nature, lily matures far beyond her years as just a middle schooler, but she doesn't mind. she is ever conscientious and continues looking after herself and her grandparents, knowing that this is what her mother would've wanted her to do.

she works hard in every aspect of her life, including school, and is quite the successful teenager - getting good grades, ranking high in her class, handling her home situation, balancing extracurriculurs and hobbies. high school is actually where her passion for the arts emerges. it's the first time she's able to pick her own classes and she just seems to have a naturally inclining interest in the arts, so she picks those subjects as electives, and finds herself falling in love with these things that weren't your typical school subjects. she takes a theater class one semester, does choir another, joins the school dance team for two years, but then kind of backs away from all that as college approaches. the topic arises of where she is going to go for university, and lily realizes this is her chance to reunite with her mom in korea. determined, she focuses solely on academics her senior year and lands a scholarship to yonsei university (not with no thanks to her previously well-established study habits and resume!). once there, the thought creeps into the back of her mind that it would be a waste to abandon all her hard scholarly work to pursue what seems like such a far-fetched dream in the performing arts industry, so she pushes those things on the backburner.

she's been in korea for the past 3-4 years now, studying hard and working part-time jobs to pay for rent, living expenses, hospital bills, etc. she frequently reminisces back on high school, when she was able to indulge in her true passions and do things she enjoyed, like performing or hanging out with friends, instead of just working and studying so she can survive and provide for her mom. essentially, she's given up on pursuing the road less taken, however much it called out to her, so she can instead have a solid future in which she won't have to worry about provisions for her and her family. of course, she still has fun and friends here in seoul, but as every year passes, a piece of her heart breaks for the lost dreams she feels she will never be able to fulfill anymore, or was maybe just never destined to fulfill.

daily life.

haneul's day typically starts around 9am, whether it be with a job or a class, so she'll wake up around 8-8:30 to get ready for the day, depending on what she needs to do and how many times she presses snooze on her alarm. whatever her first task is, she will go through diligently - if it's work, with a smile on her face, if it's class, with eyebrows furrowed in concentration. lunch will be a quick sandwich from the convenience store if she's in a rush or a stop at the gukbap place with friends if she has time, then she'll go off to her next class. she typically only has 2 classes a day, maybe 3 if she's lucky, and the rest of her time is filled with her part-time jobs or studying. though it all sounds quite overwhelming, haneul has always been good at time management, and she's not a complete workaholic. she's always got some time to spare to hang out with friends and she also tries to give herself alone time, whether that means lazing around for a whole saturday or journaling for a few hours on her little balcony. she also makes sure to visit her mom at the nursing home a couple times a week, bringing her and the grandparents there snacks and drinks and company. haneul's always got something to do, but it's fulfilling!

trivia.

— she currently works 3 part-time jobs - the pc bang, the convenience store, and a dog cafe. pc bang is mon + wed from 4-10pm, and every other sunday from 9am-2pm, convenience store is tues + thurs from 8pm-2am, and dog cafe is fri from 11am(opening)-5pm and sometimes sat with varying hours, but typically 5pm-10pm(closing).

— basically her income is enough to cover her own living expenses and the occasional medical treatment for her mom, with a little room to splurge. when she does splurge, though, it's rarely on herself, and instead will go towards birthday presents for friends or treats for the nursing home. she's relieved at the full scholarship and also the fact that the nursing home is an extension of her mom's uncle's hospital, so he lets lily's mom stay for free.

— she got her ears pierced for her 16th birthday, but hasn't ever purchased her own pair beyond the starter earrings, so she currently only has the original titanium studs and a pair of 3cm pure gold hoops that she got as a present for her 17th birthday. one of her favorite pasttimes is eye-shopping for earrings online and adding to the wishlist she knows will never decrease.

— her music taste dabbles in k-r&b, k-indie, the works. colde, dvwn, crush, dean, woodz, sam kim, jannabi, george, zion.t, then some zico and aomg squad here and there.

— she likes falling asleep to colde on low volume or asmr.

— she loves bread, ice cream, pretty stationary, spicy noodles, animations, dogs, and the ocean at night.

sh*t haneul says.

— "oh, the sky looks so pretty!" why thank you! "haneul-"

— no, no, no, i'm not good at league, it's just because i play with customers at the pcbang sometimes- "haneul you're a level 26??? just from playing at work???"

— "you have work again, haneul?" yeah, you know me, i'm like rihanna. "...what?" you know, like...work work work work work... "oh...oh god"

social media.

— @lilyjung, ig. she doesn't post that much, but when she does, it's typically group shots or pictures commemorating events. there are rarely any pictures of just her, neither taken by her or by a friend, and she tends to post more on her story - aesthetic views she sees, yummy food she eats, funny candid clips of friends, etc.

you've got a friend in me

bae hyunyi. acquaintance.

hyunyi and haneul's relationship is all thanks to haneul's inexplicable love for beautiful stationary. whether it's actually collecting it or just eye shopping, haneul can hardly ever resist, which is how she first found herself wandering into hyunyi's shop. hyunyi being hyunyi, she greeted the new customer enthusiastically, and soon enough, haneul wasn't so new of a face. it's on the way home from the dog cafe and haneul can never seem to be able to just pass it by, so her frequent appearances have resulted in hyunyi being able to recognize her. it's become something of a pasttime for haneul at this point - even if she doesn't always plan on buying anything, she enjoys briefly conversing with hyunyi and laughing at the embarrassment of her employees as their boss jams out to songs and browsing through the new additions to the shelves. though it's always a short part of haneul's day, it's never a dull one! hyunyi is probably one of the most eccentric, outgoing people haneul knows, and though it can sometimes be startling, it's never not welcomed. their interactions take place mostly at blank space and are generally limited to chill conversations about their days, questions about what kind of stationary is needed, the telling of jokes and laughter, etc. and of course haneul buying stuff!

ji subin. acquaintance.

subin met haneul at the dog cafe, having come for a photoshoot, and they exchanged polite greetings and entertaining small talk when they could. haneul found herself impressed by subin's professionalism and talent and asked her various questions about her passion and how she came to decide on pursuing it as a career. it was quite the pleasant interaction for both of them, but since they're both not the type to take that extra step and ask for numbers, they figured that would be the last of it. later on, though, haneul runs into her again at blank space, and the three of them exchange greetings and explanations as to how they all know each other, and it's another pleasant interaction! even after that, though, the two don't interact much since they rarely get to see each other, but they both are glad that the opportunity is there to see one another again, especially after that positive first impression. deep in the back of their minds, they wonder just how good of friends they could be if they had the time and the effort.

jung wooshik. uncle. (fc: son woohyeon)

wooshik is haneul's uncle on her mom's side, but he has been mistaken for her older brother countless times. he has quite a large with his sister (haneul's mom), so the 30 year old is actually closer in age to his niece, which accounts for the frequent misunderstanding. as a result, haneul really does tend to see him as both her uncle and older brother figure. he was the only person she could really rely on when she first came to korea, since she knew no one else, and ever since she came, he's never failed to check in on her and make sure she's doing okay, wanting to take care of her so as to not worry her recovering mother. wooshik is yet another person in haneul's life that she looks up to and admires for their hard work and diligence (he's always studied hard and is now a young doctor on the path to take over his father's hospital!), and their relationship is that of a very wholesome pair of siblings. she respects him enough to honor his title as her uncle, but they are very laidback with each other - bickering about which place has better ddukpokki, sneaking up from behind and smacking each others' head, making fun of each others' love lives, etc. but more often than not will wooshik assert his years. he never lets her pay for a meal, he pats her head like she's still a child, he disapproves of all boys around her...he always wants to spoil haneul, but he knows she wouldn't want such burdensome gifts and also isn't really the type to want them, so he tries to save it for holidays and birthdays.

choi jangmi. best friend. (fc: kim yoohyeon)

jangmi was haneul's first friend upon coming to korea. they sat next to each other in their general education math class on the first day and both had absolutely no idea what was going on. jangmi initiated conversation first, asking if haneul had got what the teacher just said, and when haneul confessed that she did not understand what had been happening, jangmi sighed a sigh of "thank god i'm not the only one". she asked haneul if she wanted to exchange numbers so they could maybe study together sometime, and though haneul wouldn't be the type to offer that kind of stuff first, she's also not the type to reject someone who asks. so she says yes, but they don't actually start hanging out outside of class until midterms. maybe it's all the junk food they ate together or their mutual hate for math or the numerous nights they spent together up past 1, cracked out and not understanding anything more than they already didn't, but the two form a special bond in those first months of school. they go on to grow much closer throughout that entire year, starting off with just study dates and then casual hangouts once they see how well they get along. they find refuge in each other, being each others' first friends in such an unfamiliar environment, and they both open up to each other a lot in their first year together. by the end of that year, they've seen each other cry, they've pulled 3 all-nighters together (only 1 was to study), and they've slept over at each other's dorms multiple times. haneul figures this all happened so quickly just because of the desperation of first year college students to make friends, but she's grateful nonetheless. and over the next few years, jangmi only proves to be an even better friend than haneul would've imagined - helping her to take time to rest, bringing out her rambunctious, fun-loving side, nagging her about...many things, all for haneul's sake. their interactions are a little chaotic with a dash of wholesome, because amidst all the loud coin noraebang sessions, the disagreements over whether haneul needs a boyfriend right now, and the physical altercations brought on by haneul's playful mocking of jangmi's music taste, there's the undeniable scent of love. both being only childs, they've found something like a sister in each other.

look at me, now look at you

birth name. wang yibo
nicknames.
— yipponi 이뽀니. the original korean phrase is 'yippeuni', and it's a nickname used to call someone pretty. haneul puts a play on it by changing the pronunciation to sound like yibo's name and starts calling him this after they get more sweet on each other, as well as making this his contact name.
— gremlin. yibo has been dubbed this by his fans mostly due to his mischievous antics and signature smirk that appears when he's feeling playful. of course, it is used affectionately, and haneul can't agree with it more.

birthdate. aug 5, 1997
birthplace. luoyang, china
hometown. luoyang, china
nationality. chinese
ethnicity. chinese
uality. heteroual

languages.
— mandarin, 100%. his mothertongue
— korean, 70%. he learned it through the many years he spent in korea as a trainee, but now that he's mostly active in china, he's slowly been forgetting since he's out of practice. his accent has always been quite audible, he says "uh" a lot, and he'll sometimes spell things slightly wrong, but he's always focused more on vocabulary anyways and he starts learning again once the two start exchanging letters.
occupation. actor, idol, motorcycle racer

faceclaim. wang yibo uniq
back-up. wong kunhang wayv

appearance. his hair has undergone various color and style changes, but currently it's just short and brown, and he usually parts it in the middle, whether it's loosely or defined. no other changes.

style. yibo is usually dressed by his stylists, and it all generally falls under a skater boy type of chinese street style, which is similar to how he'll actually dress himself. he doesn't really know a lot about fashion and doesn't really try much, so when he gets the chance to pick his own outfit, you'll usually just catch him in something akin to skinny jeans and a thrasher shirt. when his stylists dress him, there will be a little more flair - more layers, a color accent, chains and jewelry, etc. he works everything, though, from the casual to the fancy, so you'll never really see him slipping.

personality traits.

pos thoughtful, driven, loyal

( talkative, childish, confident )

reserved, confrontational, blunt neg

personality.

yibo is not your typical tv personality in the sense that he doesn't always cater exactly to what the public wants. he doesn't do much fan service, he's quick to derail interviews from unrelated topics, and he's quite blunt in what he deems as ridiculous. in that sense, he can be defined as rather confrontational, since he won't bat an eye when it comes to standing up for himself, his beliefs, or his loved ones. ultimately, though, wang yibo is just refreshingly, unapologetically himself. he's confident in who he is, what he enjoys, and what he's good at (and, though he might not always admit it, how handsome he is). he can seem a bit selective with who he lets in his inner circle, but that's just because he simply isn't the super friendly, outgoing type. many of his co-stars have commented on his reserved nature and his characteristic lack of words - most noticeably his female co-stars. he's always pretty guarded around people he's not close to, but especially more so with females, just because it's natural for him to feel more comfortable around males, and also because he is aware of the extents to which the media can make twisted assumations and rumors out of nothing. this is not to say he doesn't have good female friends, though, it just takes him a little longer to warm up to them.

once he does get close to someone, though, he becomes very playful and childish, bringing out the teasing, the playful hitting, the sarcasm, jokes, and roasting. he also becomes, in contrast to many expectations, very talkative once he's comfortable. his best friend xiao zhan and s of uniq are probably the only people he's currently comfortable enough to be that talkative with. so often, his ripe age of 23 years is forgotten because he seems so mature, but really, he's still a child. he loves pranking his friends and joking around with them and bursting into dance moves wherever he is and making puns and being a little brat to his hyungs. he's really got quite the personality, you've just gotta be able to stick around long enough to see it. once you've gained his trust, though, and he's gained yours, you've got a friend for life. yibo is fiercely loyal to those he loves and will do most anything for them. he's a thoughtful guy, noticing little things about his friends and remembering them for future gifts or acts of service, seeing certain reactions and coming to accurate conclusions of why that may have happened. he may be silent a lot of the time, but that doesn't mean the gears in his mind aren't turning. he's driven and hard-working, which applies to both his relationships and his work, meaning he will do whatever he can to protect his loved ones and also that he always does his best in whatever task he's given.

background.

yibo's life is quite the stark contrast to haneul's - he's been dancing since a young age and became a trainee at age 13, going to korea to improve his dancing and debut in a boy band. similarly to her, though, he puts his 100% into everything that he does, and didn't return home for 4 years, instead focusing on the rigorous training. thus, uniq was born, the 5 member korean-chinese boyband he is ambiguously still a part of, and though they never really got the big break they wanted, each member went on to be individually successful, yibo arguably the most. having been dipping his toes into acting and variety in china even while promoting with uniq, he had quite a good foundation for the fame he now holds there. uniq never really officially disbanded, and many fans, brought in by the successful solo careers of various members, earnestly want the 5 boys to have a comeback together, but for now, wang yibo is making his own name in china. he was launched into fame with a chinese fantasy drama and now has countless upcoming projects, a fixed mc spot in a variety show, an ever-growing list of brand endorsements, and tremendous amounts of love and attention from his public. it seems like there's no room for romance in the midst of his fresh blossom into fame, but is that just because he's never felt the need to make the space for it?

daily life.

wang yibo is a busy, busy man. he is quite in demand by many directors and producers for their dramas and reality shows and movies, and though it's all enjoyable, he is frequently very tired. every day he'll have at least one drama set to go to or one variety show pre-recording to attend, some days he'll have both, and they usually take several hours. he doesn't usually have a lot of time to rest, so when he does he tends to fully indulge in it, letting his introvert self charge up before having to go back out into the world again. much of his life is spent around cameras and adoring audiences, so it's nice to get some time alone or occasionally just chill with friends. in his free time, he likes to skateboard, play sports, watch movies, learn random magic tricks, and, of course, write letters to haneul. though his lifestyle can be quite physically toiling, he always works hard and generally always enjoys what he does.

trivia.

— he's not great at cooking - he's the type to completely wing it and then oftentimes it just ends up working out

— he's actually a professional motorcycle racer! he was on the yamaha china racing team but is currently taking a break to focus on his other promotions.

— he offers multiple times (once they have a more established relationship) to get haneul spots at his events, like press conferences or motorcycle races or such, saying he'll pay for her plane ticket, and her initial response is always refusal because she doesn't want to impose, but he's always just like "no, i want you to come, i don't care if you want to come" and she's like "...ok"

— he's scared of bugs and the dark. when he told haneul this as yuyan, she sent him a little battery-charged night light so he could stop wasting his electricity by sleeping with the light on.

— he loves dogs!!!

sh*t yibo says.

— "wang yibo, us fans know you better than anyone else!" then what about my mom?

— i'm not cute, i am handsome.

— "you only have your fans!" no, i've got my motorcycle, too.

— in an interview: "what is something that is difficult for you?" mmm...interviews.

social media.

— @yibo.w_85, ig. he doesn't post too frequently, either, usually just promotional shots or pictures of his skateboards or motorcycle races.
— @YIBO-OFFICIAL, weibo. this is used more frequently than ig, since it's partially run by his management, so you'll find a lot more posts about what he's up to on there.

can't help falling in love

plotline. lights, camera, action!

back-up plotline. fly me to the moon / work it, let me work

their story.

haneul writes her first letter with not many expectations, since she's neither extremely thrilled nor indifferent about the whole thing. she introduces herself briefly, says she's excited to have a penpal and get to know whoever they are, etc., trying to keep it short and succinct. she gets a little nervous once she sends it, though, but she figures if the person sounds chill, then they're chill, and if they're not, then...they're not. what she doesn't expect, though, is for it to take multiple weeks for her to get a response. she considers reaching out to the company to see if there was a mistake or a delay, but never gets around to doing that, and the day she finally decides she should, a letter finally comes.

the reason it took so long is because of the time it takes to send mail to china, but also because of the hesitance and dubiety of yibo in responding. initially, he opens it just thinking it's fanmail, but the content is definitely not a love confession from an adoring fan - if anything, it sounds like this person doesn't even know who he is! this is only startling to yibo because "then how did they know where to send it to...", and it continues to nag in the back of his mind, enough that he opens up to his good friend xiao zhan about it. zhan actually knows about the ps company because he's been linked up with his own soulmate in korea, and internally, he's ecstatic that yibo is having a similar experience and might find love! externally, though, he stays calm, knowing that yibo isn't all that interested in romance right now, but he still encourages his friend to go with it (with the ulterior motive of pushing yibo towards his soulmate), explaining the confidentiality of the system and confessing that it really does feel nice to get to talk to someone without all the fame in the way. yibo only complies because he trusts zhan that much, and sends an ambiguous letter back, deciding to go the extra mile and preserve his identity by saying he's a normal girl in china named wong yuyan.

though he lies about his name and gender, yibo tries to stay true to himself as much as he can, not feeling entirely content with the idea of acting like someone else completely. remembering what zhan said about how it felt to get to know someone away from cameras and lights, yibo slowly starts to enjoy talking to this person. haneul opens up rather easily, probably because the anonymity of it all makes her feel safe - it's like ranting to someone you know you'll never see again because you know it won't have a further impact on you. yibo follows in being equally vulnerable, prompted by her initiative, and they share what their childhoods were like, how their relationships with their families are, the big and little struggles they go through daily, and it's just so different for the both of them because they've never been this candid with anyone. they attribute it wholly to the fact that it's all (somewhat) anonymous and that the entire relationship depends solely on what they choose to write in the letters. the letters serve to be a great outlet for both of them, especially being aware of the physical distance between them, because there's less room for them to feel like a burden when they dump all their inner thoughts on the other, whether those thoughts are deep or random. for two people who are so caught up in every waking moment with living for other people, these letters are a breath of fresh air, a moment away from the expectations. they find refuge in each other, yibo because she makes him feel like a normal person again, and haneul because he brings a spark into the life she thought would forever be laden with routine.

now, of course, this whole time they are bonding, haneul believes her pen pal is a girl, which yibo grows to feel more unfomfortable with as time passes, because he doesn't like lying and also he never knows what to say when she tells him she's suffering because of her time of the month. ultimately, he becomes worried - will he have to keep up this act forever and never be able to even tell her he's a male, much less a well-known celebrity?? he's worried it'll ruin the bond they have that he's sure they have with no one else- doodling things when they can't explain in korean, teaching each other words in their respective first languages, poking fun at the embarassing childhood stories they share, teasing each other about...anything, really, but more importantly, trusting each other enough to listen and encourage through the hardships. yibo has never been able to be so readily vulnerable to anyone, especially not a girl, and especially without ever having met them, but her letters were always so earnest and genuine that he felt like he was really getting to know her. to many girls around him, he tends to keep his distance and stay withdrawn, out of respect for them and mindfulness of the media, but he most likely lets loose with haneul since they'll never be seen in public together, so the building of their friendship is unhinged. he's only this open and carefree with his closest friends, like his uniq members and xiao zhan. similarly for haneul, it's the first time she's been so open with anyone ever about the things she goes through and the emotions she feels. with her other physically present friends, she has trouble being so uninhibited because she doesn't want to be a burden when she sees that they go through their own stuff, too. she's honestly not even as playful with them as she is with yibo (or, as she knows him, yuyan), because there was always that insecurity deep inside her that kept her from being truly herself. but something about her pen pal makes it so easy to talk about herself and be herself. essentially, they both influence and challenge each other - him with his straightforward, unapologetic way of holding himself, and her with her soft-hearted willingness to be there for someone she knows can be there for her.

they've talked about him a couple of times, only because he couldn't resist bringing it up. he writes to her that there's a pretty popular celebrity in china at the moment named wang yibo, asking if she knows of him, and she says no, but that she'll look him up! it doesn't take long for her to get in, and her next letter to him (of course, unbeknownst that she is actually talking...to him...about... him...) is fawning over her admiration for him. she's amazed at how talented he is in all the things she's only dabbled in before and wished she could pursue and she highly acclaims how successful he is for such a young age. what she doesn't explicitly talk about is the envy she has for a guy like him who does what he loves for a living, who has been chasing his dreams relentlessly and has made it. he can kind of read that between the lines, though, and his heart deflates a little when he thinks back on what she's told him of the things she's given up to ensure a secure future, but it also melts as he reads about the pure admiration she has for him. it's nothing like the crazy fangirls he's frequently victim to, who claim false statements and assume things about him. she respects him - she points out how good of a job he did portraying a character he had always been insecure about, she raves about his dancing skills in ways that credit his technique and skill and not just how cool he looks, and, of course, she comments on how handsome he is, which he tries not to be too distracted by. she also mentions how in the many interviews she watched, his honesty and direct manner of speaking is so refreshing, and gives him so much more of a humane image than other celebrities who try to pretend they're something they're not! of course, this disquiets his conscience, and he resorts to saying he (as yuyan) actually doesn't really care all that much for wang yibo so that they can stop talking about him.

first touch.

upon getting the notification from the company that the two are to meet, yibo is conflicted. he still hasn't told haneul his real identity yet and now they have to meet face to face? he confers with zhan about what he should do, and zhan, knowing the inner workings of p.s., encourages yibo to follow through. from the way yibo talks about his pen pal, zhan can tell he really enjoys the friendship, and as much as there's a risk of everything going wrong, there's also the possibility of everything being perfectly right, and zhan thinks the chance is worth taking. he says yibo should try to meet her and come clean, and then if things don't work out, then at least he's tried and he won't be left wondering "what if".

of course, there's a deep fear inside yibo, both for his safety as a celebrity and for the preservation of his heart. he's been lying about things, so who's to say haneul hasn't been lying, too? this discourages him, one) because if she's a different person than who he's been picturing her as, then she could very well be a crazed fan or sleazy netizen who can ruin his reputation, but more importantly, two) because if she's a different person than who he's been picturing her as, then he'll have lost a friend. a very special friend - someone he didn't have to meet to know he could get along with, who he could trust and open up to and understand and expect the same treatment from. with this anxiety festering inside him, yibo decides to scope out the scene beforehand. remembering what haneul had told him she'd be doing that weekend, yibo ends up flying out to korea a day or so earlier to visit the dog cafe she works at.

he comes in around an hour before closing, a time when there are typically no customers, but as an extra precaution against possible fans (and not to mention, haneul), he wears a mask and a cap. haneul and the two other girls she's with greet him cheerfully despite it being near closing time, and yibo can't tell yet which one she is (or if she's even really there- remember, he's paranoid that she could be fake!!), but when she comes over to take his drink order, her nametag just about screams at him. he's struck with nerves and can't seem to make up a comprehensible sentence, so she mistakes it as a lack of understanding and tries to ask him in english, wondering if he's a tourist. he snaps out of it, responding in korean that he's sorry for zoning out, that he's actually from china, and that he'll take an iced americano. haneul's eyes light up, and she smiles the same smile that's charmed so many customers and managers. "oh, cool, i have a penpal in china!" with that, she leaves to prepare his drink, but yibo is stunned. *it's really her...*

throughout his 45 minutes there, he observes her silently, petting the numerous adorable dogs almost mindlessly. she's just as he imagined but also...so much more. so much more bright, so much more playful, so much more beautiful...he talks to her a few more times, too, since all the girls are pretty friendly and there's no other customers, so the 4 of them make conversation about what he's done since arriving, where he plans on going, what china is like, etc. he pulls about 90% of the answers out of his , but the other 10% are small nods to what he's told haneul about china as yuyan, just to see how she'll react. though she's not the type to eagerly pipe up every time he mentions something she's heard of, he'll always see her eyebrows raise in recognition and he can't help but feel a little giddy inside.

this had all been a sort of test for him - to see if she was really who she said she was and not some identity thief who would expose him - and she had passed with flying colors. every inkling of fear he had that she wouldn't be what he expected was squandered, and he only became more and more excited to actually meet her. but the thought of meeting face-to-face reminds him of what he had come to do (had she passed his little test, otherwise he might've just...left and never came back) and he prepares to leave the cafe. perfectly according to plan, she is the one who gets him his check, and their fingers brush in the exchange. yibo's not sure if he imagines what feels like electricity running through them, but he figures it's just the butterflies in his stomach that go hogwild as he makes extremely intentional eye contact with her, making sure her fingers wrap around the small envelope he hides under the check holder. he leaves in a hurry, his heart racing, and he lingers in front of the building for a while, staring up at the lit window on the 2nd floor where she is, wondering if she's reading it now or is going to wait until she goes home. she does the latter, only because opening it in front of her co-workers would've been a whole ordeal ("omg, did he just give you his number??" "haneul was he flirting with you???"), but also because the word on the front makes her think it's more than just a flirtatious attempt. it says '百合', which haneul knows means 'lily', thanks to her penpal yuyan, which she can now write perfectly due to the numerous times she's doodled it in her notebooks.

she wonders if the customer was maybe just a messenger, and opens the letter first thing once she gets to her apartment. inside is quite the plot twist - yibo reveals that he's not actually wong yuyan, he is wang yibo, a rising star in chinese media, the member of a kpop group, and the customer who just left her cafe. he apologizes as profusely as he can through pen and paper, explaining that it was an extra measure taken to ensure his safety, asking for forgiveness, emphasizing that it's totally okay if she doesn't want to forgive him, but if she is so willing to continue this friendship, or even just allow him a chance to apologize in person, to meet him at the place they had decided on when she still knew him as yuyan. overwhelmed, haneul gets ready to go to sleep, and just as she lies in bed she sees it - black print etched onto her wrist. she doesn't exactly sleep all that well that night.

the reveal.

their names had showed up once they touched fingers back at the cafe, but neither one notices due to the long sleeves they're wearing. it is only when they get back home, their hearts fluttering at the thought of each other (though for quite different reasons). once they see the ink on their wrist, the fluttering stops, and everything is so different.

yibo is, needless to say, quite shook, but it also sort of makes sense. the feelings he had been feeling were so different than anything he'd ever felt before, and he had tried to tell himself it was just because he had never had a penpal before and the secrecy of his identity was exciting, but in the back of his mind, he always kinda knew that wasn't it. as much as it's strange and unfamiliar and even a little scary to be feeling these things with the knowledge that she is his soulmate ("so is this...love???? (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)"), he can't help but be even more keen on meeting her. but this new information also amplifies his worry that he's ruined everything from the start by lying about his identity. it's probably a lot for her to take in, he supposes, and he's right. haneul lays awake all night, various conflicting thoughts and emotions running through her head. part of her is intrigued at the prospect of having a celebrity as even just a friend, much less a soulmate!! but another part of her wonders...does this mean everything else was a lie? how much of this wang yibo do i actually know? and yet another part of her wonders - is he aware that they are soulmates? does he really stick by the words on this sheet of paper?? will he even show up tomorrow??? plagued by the fear that they will be stood up the next day, each one wrestles with the night.

it's definitely awkward when they finally meet in person - it's a pretty secluded location, so there's not much bustling noise to distract them, but things quickly turn over. yibo starts off by apologizing, but haneul proves to be the outcome he thought he could've only dreamed of - she's not upset, she understands, and she wants to continue being friends. that is, if yuyan's personality is real and she wasn't just talking to a bot or something. yibo assures her that the only thing he lied about was his name and gender and current occupation, but the things he shared with her about his past and personal life are all true. it's uncomfortable now that they're sitting across from each other, but yibo knows he owes this to her - he confesses that she's like no other friend he's had and he doesn't want to lose that. she feels the same way, but she timidly explains that she would like to start over, if that makes sense. she wants to get to know wang yibo from now on, not wong yuyan. relieved, he agrees, and they spend the rest of the day together, acting like they've been friends forever - catching up on life ("since the last time i wrote, i've eaten ice cream two days in a row..." "wanna make it 3?" "...why not."), explaining their own perspectives of the recent events ("did you not notice i had so much in common with yuyan?" "i just figured...it was...a coincidence..."), laughing about innocent slips each had made without the exposed fact of yibo's real identity ("wow i...talked about my...uh, feminine troubles...a lot...i'm sorry..."). eating yummy food, going to coin noraebang. it's almost crazy how chill they are with each other, like they didn't just see each other's face for the first time a couple hours ago.

ultimately, nothing really changes, especially not for the worst, once they find out they're soulmates. they don't explicitly acknowledge it on that first day together since they're pretty busy just having fun together, but it feels like a mutual agreement is silently formed as they continue to do just that - have fun. yibo hasn't had this much laidback, relaxed fun in a while, especially with a girl, and haneul hasn't had this much carefree, genuine fun in...who knows how many years. they bring so much pure joy to each other, that it seems almost impossible for them to not start becoming more affectionate. whether it's through future letters or future hangouts, the main difference shows in how much more playful (see also: flirtatious wink wink) they get with each other. yibo always gets more mischievous the closer he is to someone, and haneul is no exception to that, and she even starts gradually assimilating to his childish ways. he turns out to be exceptionally sassy and sarcastic, which she kind of saw in some of the clips she'd watched of him, but it's so much more intense in person, and she finds the only way for her to survive is through retaliation. they tease each other all the time - roasting at any opportunity, offering each other food only to put it in their own mouth at the last second, acting like a brat with a smile on his face so she knows he's joking (this is mostly yibo), doing that thing where you hit the end of the water bottle when they're drinking from it (also mostly just him until she gets sick of being the victim), hitting each other with their sweater paws (these fights are also usually initiated by... yibo...), letting her try his skateboard then pushing her off (ok if you can't tell this is all just yibo picking fights with haneul and her realizing if you can't beat em, join em).

ending.

a handful of hangouts and many letters later, they finally clear things up. though he has become increasingly blunt about his affection for her the more they spend time together (for example, he will beat her in a game and make her do a punishment, which she will do reluctantly, while sighing at him- "why do you hate me", to which he will respond with a smirk and a "you know i don't hate you". he will then proceed to make sure she does the punishment), they haven't yet had a serious, intentional talk about their relationship. if they're asked by friends, they probably say the other is just a special friend, but everyone knows it's more than that.

eventually, they agree to try it out, meaning they continue getting closer while now openly acknowledging the romantic feelings they have for each other, but there's no pressure or labels. essentially, they're 'dating', but are not yet 'boyfriend and girlfriend'. it proves to be a much better experience for each of them than they would've imagined - yibo had always figured dating would just never fit into his schedule, but long distance is almost a perfect solution to that, since there are less expectations set on each other and they both know that they're both busy. also, they've already been only communicating through snail mail, so it's not too different. haneul is pretty similar, having thought it would be a long time until she finds someone who understands her but can also deal with her current priorities. basically, they're both occupied young adults who have their own stuff going on, but they are comforted and motivated in knowing that they have someone who will always be in their corner, supporting them all the way.

at some point, they make it official, now being able to tell their trusted loved ones that they are in a committed relationship! their lives have truly changed for the better since knowing each other - yibo has found someone who really loves him for him and supports his dreams instead of distracting him from them, and haneul has found someone who never fails to bring genuine happiness into her otherwise rather tedious lifestyle. they ground each other and teach each other to prioritize themselves, haneul reminding him to take care of his health and wellbeing and not get carried away by work and yibo encouraging her to not let go of her dreams and emphasizing that she should try to live to fulfill herself, too, not just others. yibo has never planned on publicizing a romantic relationship because he doesn't see why something so personal should matter in his field of work, and he doesn't plan on doing so with haneul, for both their privacy and safety. it's not necessarily a secret, but he does hope he can keep it on the down low for as long as he can. if it comes to light, though, he wouldn't reveal haneul's identity since she's a non-celebrity.

interviewing haneul...

introduce yourself. hello, my name is jung haneul! or...lily...i guess. she chuckles, wondering why she suddenly brought out the rather unused name. ummm...i'm 21 years old and i study at yonsei, and...yeah! she grins.

how did you come across p.s.? well, i have a couple friends who i know have been doing it, and it sounded cool, so i thought i would try it out! i think the idea of handwritten letters is really cute and really special in such an age of technology and i kinda miss it, so that was appealing, too.

what are your thoughts on soulmates? lost soulmates? oh...hmm, i've never thought about the concept of soulmates...though it does sound...romantic...but lost soulmates? that also sounds kind of romantic - but in a more bittersweet kind of way, you know? her eyes get dreamy, even at the melancholy side of it, because it's the ups and downs she's never experienced that make love beautiful to her.

do you think everyone has a soulmate? why? oh, huh. that's...um, well, i guess? i would love to think everyone has someone out there for them, but, well, like with the other question, i don't think it would be a perfect system. if there are lost soulmates, wouldn't there be people without a soulmate? or...soulmates who have...you know, different...soulmates? or someone who doesn't want to be with their soulmate? she crinkles her eyebrows as she loses herself in her mind, overthinking all the different scenarios and her own past.

how do you feel about having a pen pal? i think it's a really fun, refreshing idea for this generation, and i love the idea of keeping in touch with someone in such a genuine, heartfelt way. i feel like it'll definitely be different than having online or even physical friends, and i'm excited to use all the stationary i've stocked up on over the years! she chuckles, thinking about all the pretty letterheads that lay unused on her desk.

when you have a pen pal of your own, would you ever consider meeting them in person? hmm...isn't that not the point though? she laughs, but then shrugs. i think part of me wants to say that i'd like to honor the anonymosity of it all, but if the other party wanted to, i might incline! she concludes the thought with that soft smile of hers.

do have anything else you'd like to say? oh, no, no, not if that's all the questions! she checks her watch swiftly to make sure she's not late for work, then looks back up at the interviewer with a grin.

you've reached the finish line!

comments. damn i really just barfed all over this app...might've got a little carried away ,, i hope it's okay that i kinda combined two plotlines ?? also hopefully uniq can be added to the list of new boy groups you now stan teehee ♡(｡- ω -)

scene suggestions.

— yibo teaching her how to skate = lots of touching and cuteness

— the two of them go shopping but not really to buy anything, just so she can try on a dress and yibo can see her in one heheh

AsianFanfics

→ 　정하늘 IS SEARCHING FOR 王一博!

Comments