Same Thing With Lili ~ She Needs Some Threads For Trainee Mission As Well As General Relationship Connections,

PIECE OF ME     ୨୧     @lgcminnie     /     “miiiiiiiiinnie,” lili practically whines as she’s pouring over the karaoke book; the song she had wanted to sing after her grand slam of a performance of wicked’s defying gravity was no where to be found. it had torn her hopes of one-upping such a performance that lili wanted a little pick-me-up. and what better than to be the nosy little bee that she was known and hated loved for. “did you pick a song yet? i can’t find the one i wanted to sing.” 

honestly, it was probably in a different book. 

taking a sip of her drink, lili glances around the room — taking in the sights, the stares, and the oh la la : did her eyes deceive her or did someone just get chocolates a day late? very interesting.

“did you see that! i think he just handed her some chocolates,” lili whispers behind a not so subtle hand, dropping it almost immediately when the scene disperses before it can really lead to well, anything — how disappointing. “well, that was a bust. oh right, how was white day for you? did you get any chocolates? someone gave me matcha ones that tasted like grass.” it was gross and yet, out of the kindness of her heart, lili regifted it to the janitor this morning.

a hand shoots up — “wait, wait — i said i sucked, i didn’t — do you think i’m a loser?” should she get her ears checked? did she, lili xu, actually sound that bad for ichika to immediately dismiss her as the affronted and absolutely — totally uncalled for — damning title of ‘loser’?

she feels herself default — not from discouragement — but the shock. never had lili ever felt herself feel so crestfallen — so rug pulled out from under her bewildered. again, it begs the question of: why was lili even here?

lili groans, feeling a crease iron itself permanently between her brows in concern. “was it really that bad?” lili was no japanese maestro but even she didn’t think she had failed as miserably to deem it — oh, god, lili didn’t even want to repeat it again.

she sniffs, bringing the stylus back to the document she had pulled up on her ipad where the rest of her diligent — but messy in the way a chaotic mind like lili could only understand — notes lay. “fine, if that’s what you think is best.” she taps the end of the pen against her cheek as she thinks.

“it’s supposed to be a mock of some hosting event, right?” she asks for clarification — “how would i even begin?”

In all honesty, Ichika did feel for some of her trainees. She had assumed that they would come with more experience but seeing that someone like Lili was being asked to perform without much exposure well, the more she thought about it, the more on-brand it seemed. When she was a trainee, there had been girls who had been chosen to take part in LGC Girls Japan with very limited Japanese, and some of them had been given more lines than she had. As long as you were able to make it work, what was the problem? Or so, she assumed the mindset was. 

“You are not a loser,” she replies even, shaking her head slightly. “You’re only a loser if you do not try.”

And to her credit, Lili does try. Ichika had dipped her toe into learning Mandarin over the last year, but for someone to ask her to host with a trace of fluency would have been hard. “You /are/ improving.” She assures the younger woman, “So long as you show effort, that’s what’s important. I want you to keep practicing your pronunciation and I’ll see about preparing you a phonetic script to practice with. If you can show confidence in speaking and continue to practice, a lot of errors can be forgiven. I’m sure you experienced that when you first came to Korea, as well.” 

Unlike the other two, Ichika knew that Lili went through a similar situation when she came to Korea years ago, and with that alone, she knew Lili was not a loss cause. “Actually, how about this: I want you to write down what you want to say and we can work on translating it. We can work from there.”

୨୧ .  莉莉 ✽ PLOT CALL _ q2

lili needs someone she hasn't interacted with ever!!! so, if you need someone as well and have never threaded with lili before please like this post and i'll drop a message in your ims ~

under the cut are some roll over plots i took from my previous plot call!

our muses are at a local BBQ  &  your muse accidentally trips and knocks lili’s plate on the ground  /  spills wine (soda, water, etc)  on lili ( ofc lili is livid because this was rtw susan fang! )

your muse found a pet and asks lili if its her to which she responds “ew, fur is so 2000s” but begrudgingly ( from the goodness of her heart ) helps you find the owner of this lost pet; includes lili grimacing at the pup slobbering all over lili

catching lili leaving the dorm in her face mask because she thinks no one will recognize her and her gorgeousness as she picks up a sweet treat at a convenience store

practice room confessions

it’s like they said —

misery loves company.

and lili was no exception to the rule — especially when it came to jisoo. 

did she have the right? no. 

was she being perhaps a tad bit too possessive of a boy who obviously didn’t give two shits about her and her precious, precious birthday? yes, possibly, astonishingly, devastatingly — she was and she was not proud of it.

sitting here, more than a little miffed that he was appearing aloof — and not the least bit remorseful ( or concerned like what the fuck! ) to what had so obviously pained her, she frowns, even harder — fuck, was she going to regret the wrinkles such an action caused later — and turns her gaze away from him.  

she relays in her most poised tone — the one she used whenever she was on the phone with her grandmother and raised voices were not suitable for a pretty, pretty lady or so her grandmother liked to say — despite the frown:

“it’s not fair.” she answers him, pointed gaze turning harder — almost glassy in her distress. “you don't even care. what if i was dead in a ditch?" 

remorse is thrown out the window as she taps a finger against her arm, annoyed at the outcome. here she had come to apologize and he was throwing that in her face.

surprise, lili sits down by him. time was bound to lead them to this, since it was either them being opposite ends of a magnet, parallel lines yet never colliding for the next forever period of time, or that they'd eventually collapse and meet again. he didn't know when, or if it would happen again, but again, surprise- of course lili would be the one to approach him. ( maybe he's too good at this whole ' being alone ' thing, which is not a good thing... )

stubbornness doesn't really reward anyone, especially where there's a void of a close friendship that somehow falls apart. immaturity would do that to any pair. her comment makes him overthink, because during their birthdays, he did overthink. to say something or not to say something. but after radio silence on his own birthday,

"i mean-" wait, why is she turning it onto him? jisoo supposes lili always has a way with words. his eyes narrow back at her, "and what about a few days ago? i figured it wasn't going to happen when i didn't hear anything either." at least there's no filler smalltalk ( his ultimate pet peeve ), and they're straight into the thick of it. "that's only fair... right?"

note to self: no compliment is worth a lost ciggy rip — @shxlgc

this is what lili gets for going out with a guy just because his mom said she had pretty ankles.

that would have been lili’s excuse if said ‘going out’ weren't as obvious as inconspicuous happenings that were cleverly dressed up as accidental — it was all a ploy to somehow worm lili into their little hellhole of a family and here she was, eating it all up just because seunghyun’s mom just so happened to think her facial symmetry was proportional to aphrodite ( her words not lili’s, mind you! ) — yeah, maybe lili was that vain.

and probably an ounce too shallow — but if she could get compliments on the daily from a woman who kissed up to her just because she had half the hope that her grandchildren could look as pretty as lili did just from merely growing up ( and not undergoing a pricey knife ahem seungah ahem ) then maybe lili wouldn’t mind it.

until she realizes just who her supposed husband to be would be — this guy, glaring daggers at her as they both stood at the helm of a fountain, staring into its depths as they look on in misery. their sole saving grace to this dull party had sunk to the bottom of this marble moat.

fuck — and that had been her last one. 

“nice going, genius — now what are we supposed to do?” she frowns, looking around to see if any other geezers were loitering about with an extra they could bum off of. 

the date lottery is far from lili’s reality — if anything, it’s her very own acting reel that she needs to polish up. and lili ain’t no actor — but what she is is competitive. so, she plays the show like how she plays her most precious, most interesting of games.

the more she can make the viewers believe that she’s falling for minkyu and his charistmatic charms — and vice versa — the more rewards she hopes to reap. ( whatever rewards may that be —  it keeps things interesting ) at any rate — from the subtle twinkle she spies in minkyu’s gaze; an unspoken agreement seems to form extended from their previous verbal wager — at least they’re on the same page.

“you’ve never skiied before?” the declaration would have otherwise bothered lili — why else would we be at the slopes if you don’t know how to ski? but she remains patient, calming that irritating little devil in her in favor for the calm and tranquil persona she was trying to portray; her brows furrow in a gentle confusion before her lips form a precious smile, almost amused at the thought.

“well, you’re in luck. my grandma has brought me to the slopes almost every winter without fail,” her grandmother had brought her once and left her to fend for herself with strict russian instructors. “so you could say i got a lifetime of snowledge.” kill her — kill her now. her smile brightening despite the cringy dialogue, trying not to laugh at her own demise as she looks to minkyu.

“i’ve been told i’m a good teacher, too.”

no one has ever — on this earth — told her such a thing.

her surprise is paused — a slow lift of the brow as she watches minkyu descend upon one knee. “thank you.” settling onto the seat, she quickly undoing her moon boots in favor of the ski boots that minkyu helps her into. a hand reaches out gently to hold his shoulder to still her movements as she digs her feet, one after the other, into each boot; making sure they’re properly in and not loose. leaning close to inspect her shoes, she turns her chin to look at minkyu, the hand at his shoulder squeezes it lightly, in kind, as her smile is practically beaming. “they fit perfectly, shall i help you with yours?”

From the very beginning of their fake dating experience, one thing Minkyu has been consistently grateful for how effortlessly Lili aligns with his vision of what to portray: the perfect blend of sweet, romantic gestures designed to set hearts fluttering, both among the fans and the ever-adoring staff.

“Well, well,” he muses, a playful lilt in his voice as he sweeps a hand through the crisp winter air, guiding her past the entrance gate toward the ski rental. “You and I, my dearest Lili, are about to embark on our very own ski adventure, from way up there,” he points toward the towering peak of the slope, “all the way back down here.” The distant echoes of laughter and excited chatter from other skiers weave into the moment, painting a picture of a perfect winter wonderland.

He exhales, a chuckle escaping as he admits, “I have to be honest... coming from Busan, where the sun is king, I’ve never actually been skiing before.” His confession is lighthearted, almost sheepish, as they step into the rental shop, where an employee has conveniently already prepared skis in their sizes.

But rather than simply handing Lili her pair, Minkyu’s expression softens. With an easy grace, he gestures for her to take a seat on the wooden bench before lowering himself onto one knee. His usual bravado gives way to something gentler; his voice quieter now, almost intimate.

“Let me help you put them on.” he says, fingertips brushing against the bindings with care. Because even if this is all for show, he’s determined to make it feel real.

“yes, c’mon — a, press a!” lili urges. yet, at his reluctance, she can only playfully roll her eyes, “alright, i’ll show you how it’s done.”

it was a gamble, doing so, having her character run across the screen towards one of the other trees — she presses the ‘a’ button, showing her character shake the tree in succession only for a green leaf to slowly drift to the ground. “see! you get cool rewards if you shake the trees.” pocketing the item, she uses the joycon to drag her character back down the screen.

returning back to where his character was standing, lili once again suggests for him to try it. “since i got a leaf — it’s probably some type of furniture. if you shake it, we’ll probably get some money!” 

it would be even better if it wasn’t money, but this lili neglects to say.

it was really a miracle that he got a contract since he pretty much didn’t know anything about those games he had been playing during the halloween party. Still, he played his part well, which led hyuk to that exact moment, when he was paired up with lili to play games and have the most fun of it.

looking to the side whenever she laughed at his ridiculous attempt to make his character go from one side to the other onscreen, hyuk went from his grumpy mode (because he hated losing to anything), to kind of chill, taking that opportunity to bond more with people and make the brand more interested on him. “press a, you said?”, he looked to the side, offering her a friendly smile, but trying to find any deceit in her eyes, “you press it first so i know you’re not trying to kill my kid out there!”

“should i?” 

a hand models the ring, flashing it here and there, watching the light catch it in the most harmonic of ways. the glint is appeasing, and lili hardly said no to things that were offered — especially pretty things.

it was awfully on brand of her.

a cold brilliance wishing to be eclipsed by a warmth she couldn’t quite give herself. maybe it was why no matter her internal qualms that she so frustratingly and rather involuntarily projected, she still wished to be around jisoo — like a moon caught in it’s planet’s orbit. 

she wants to scoff, but she reserves the bite for a smile, albeit an amused laugh that she hides behind a hand, sparkling ring and all. “bite — as if you could ever bite.” she looks over him at the computer screen that held stills of their latest shot, pointing out one of the slides where the lighting hit her the best but still held a small cover of a shadow, much like a waning moon. “i like this one, the lighting was a nice call.”   

gorgeous, but deadly - she had an aura about her that fit the moon. difficult to reach, a bit cold, a nice contrast to the warmth that haru could convey. or was he describing how they were acting to one another right now? they didn't quite resolve everything from their last instance, and now they danced in limbo. ( again. again ! ) maybe they'd orbit each other that way eternally. and besides, its not as if he's acting against her role. it just happens to be his brand. and happens to be his commercial that he's looking over. she could just pretend he's not here... actually, no she can't. it'd look so badly upon them both since they were around others, and a tarnished name or reputation was difficult to wipe. "you can keep it if you like it," jisoo comments in response to her, albeit a bit nonchalantly. he's leaving the answer in her court for her to say yes or no, that she possibly couldn't.

this isn't quite an olive branch though, but what would it take? at least they were being cordial right? ".. feel free to chime in too, lili. we don't bite here." the swap of the set gave him an opportunity to actually discuss things with his model, if she wanted to, that is.

lili is no big enigma. she is no puzzle waiting to be solved. yet, if you knew her enough — spent a speck of time with her — her tells are all yours to read. the smallest lift of the right side of her grin, the most subtle twitch of her eyes wishing to crinkle — it’s like she’d say: the little things are what mattered most.

even when her personality was as big as the eiffel tower — at least to those who knew her and her own version of crassness. however, she seals such honestly and vulnerability for off cameras. masquerading as a bubblegum girl, covered in glitter and sparkles was hard work but for lili, she’d rather the world think of her as such than demean her for being too honest, too open as they often did to girls who stepped out of line.

it’s unfortunate — if not a bit embarrassing — that this is who minkyu sees in comparison to her usual bickery self. 

( in another world, maybe the audience would find such a version of lili as comical and funny — but no, in lili’s perfect world she was pristine and smiley — not jaded and bitchy )

“do i?” the compliment is like sweet cherry kisses on the tongue, and lili relishes in it — smiling even wider at his words than she knows she should; biting the inside of her cheek to rein it in, if she could. “cuter than those hollywood actors you wished you were on a date with?”

a part of her is glad — that it’s minkyu she’s sharing such a personal part of her with. thankful — was probably the best word to describe such a feeling — at least he knew her, could connect the dots of a story lili usually left untold. 

she hums in thought, hands swaying between them, before she stops right at the table where their blank kites awaited them.

“okay! i like that idea — surprise me with your artistic talent.” she laughs, letting her fingers drift from his so she could take her seat opposite of him; fingers already picking up the paintbrush left beside the kites. 

He notices it instantly, without needing words or any verbal confirmation: he’s known Lili long enough to recognize that genuine, adorable sparkle in her eyes and the way her cheeks lift higher than usual when she smiles;

It might only be a fleeting glimpse behind the public facade ( which he doesn’t judge or mind, understanding the necessity of separating private and business life given how scrutinizing and judgmental netizens can be ). So Minkyu treasures this moment to himself, basking in her warmth and enthusiasm as she shares a fragment of her childhood with him.

"You look incredibly cute when you smile like that," he comments. Their fingers naturally intertwine once their hands are linked as he follows close behind her, voice joined by a light-hearted laugh, his brows raised in playful delight.

This moment is everything he’s dreamed of: his very own romance-themed anime episode, with himself as the main character and her as the perfect co-star. “Though, I feel honored to be the one you chose to share this with.” he adds, his tone shifting to something more genuine as he gives her smaller hand a gentle squeeze.

But true to his nature, his playful attitude returns a moment later. “How about we make the kites for each other? I’ll make yours, you’ll make mine. Then we’ll let them fly together.”

His steps slow as they reach their destination, an expectant grin spreading across his face. The idea of crafting something special for each other adds a layer of intimacy to this date ( and he's absolutely sure the viewers will love it as well ). "What do you say?"

@LGCENT just posted a photo!

fun fact! did you know that the year of the snake is my chinese zodiac? so, as my zodiac intends, and as the clock strikes on the last hour of my birthday, i declare that this will be my year of transformation, renewal and spiritual growth! 

#lgctrainees #lgcent #xulili