[ That wasn't even a thought in his head. But it could be better that Agent Choi believe that to be the case, rather than explain his plush doll wanting to breathe in secondhand smoke for whatever reason. He has enough misunderstandings plaguing him right now. ]
…I guess it's impossible for me to be like you. I knew that, I just… thought I could try.
[ Come on, Agent Choi. Just give him one cigarette to take home so that Soleum won't have to spend money on buying a whole pack to please a demanding ghost.
Feigning resignation, he hoists himself over the second seat of the bicycle in glaring silence, positioning his feet against the pedals. A long moment passes, then, acting as if he just realized something, Soleum jolts, as if recovering himself. ]
A-Ah! I'm sorry, let's see… The way the senior explained it to me was that leading involves steering and controlling the brakes. The only thing I can do from the back is help with the pedaling, so if you're prepared to do that, we can go.
[As Soleum explains the method to maneuvering the bike, Choi barely takes any of it in. He's turned around in the seat, smiling widely with a sense of worry in his brow.]
...Now, that's just overkill, don't you think?
[With a sigh, he reaches into his pocket and retrieves the cigarettes and a lighter. Both are tossed toward him as Choi shakes his head.]
Do you know how often Jaekwan-ah begs me to quit? Now you'll get the same attention from him. Aren't you happy?
[Turning back around, he grips the handle bars and takes in a breath. Okay. Steering and braking. He can do that.]
[ The carton and lighter smack against Soleum's open palms. Is he thinking that they're going to smoke and bike at the same time? That wasn't precisely what he had in mind, and he was only wanting to just slip a single stick away for a later time, but…
It's been a while since he quit.
Leaving the rest of the carton pocketed, he holds a cigarette in his mouth, a little flame sparking from the lighter — ] Urk?! [ — right as Agent Choi starts to pedal ahead. Soleum just barely manages to keep a hold on the thing as they speed off. Hands slamming down on the bars with lighter wedged beneath, his lips crush down on the cigarette, mouth filling with tobacco, and obviously too much of it. His other hand hastily fetches the cigarette from his mouth as he dryly hacks up several coughs to the side, his eyes and nose stinging from expelling the smoke. ]
[Choi laughs when he hears Soleum start to struggle, politely slowing down as they approach an intersection. He looks behind himself with a grin, coasting slow for a moment before the light changes and they can go again - at which point he turns back around and continues on at his usual pace.]
Don't worry, don't worry! Just do your best, you said I was the one navigating! Now, which way is north...
[And so, with the front basket full of contaminated items and a more-or-less reliable sense of direction, Agent Choi bikes them through the city. He looks back every now and then, mostly to make sure Soleum hasn't fallen off or something, but generally keeps his usual pace. Soleum said it himself, after all - he's mainly there for extra power, not the braking or directing. So Choi is more than happy to manage all three parts by himself. He's moe than used to taking on every single part of a mission without expecting the others to do anything. Much less risk involved.]
[Along the way, he points things out. Places he's been, some restaurants he likes. Mentions an area he used to live in being nearby, before he joined the bureau. But as always, most of his past is obscured, unshared. It's never occurred to him to go into any of it. He's just trying to share information that his junior might find useful, is all.]
[As they get closer to the market, he slows his pace - since, honestly, he's getting kind of tired. Two disasters, both of which required him to take a good long walk to get to, and now riding tandem with his junior... It's kind of a lot on him. His old bones or whatever. He should have taken off his jacket, but whatever. Where would he have put it, anyway? The basket's full.]
Soleum-ah! Think you can make it? We're almost there!
[ Appearance, background, personality, relationships, trivia. None of these categories on Agent Choi's wiki page encompassed any of what the agent shares with him on their bike ride through the streets of Seoul; either that, or it was so vaguely alluded to that users were constantly battling interpretations in the forums.
— In agent chois newb days, he said something like "I just got a haircut how does it look?" do you guys think he was trying to make a good impression on his sunbae when he first joined??
— Are you stupid? lol Agent Choi doesn't care about first impressions, he's always carefree and himself no matter who he's with.
— ^ that
— go kill yourself
Like that.
So it's surreal to hear him reveal these small facts about himself as candidly as he does. But more so, it's — exciting. He wants to know how he felt taking his aptitude test or what his initial first impressions were of his teammates. Did you always plan to become a government employee? When you entered the Cold Storage story, were you scared? However, except for a few polite questions here and there about how his current neighborhood compares, if the restaurant staff is nice, Soleum does a lot of listening throughout — even if his whole body weren't aching, this is what he'd choose to do. ]
I'm trying… my best.
[ At some point in the conversation, his legs were so exhausted he stopped pedaling altogether, but he can't do that now! They're so close to an unmoving seat — he forces himself to cycle, half-standing, leaned forward, and panting his ass off the entire time.
Eventually, the one of the entrance ways into Namdaemun Market shows itself, peeking free from behind a painfully sharp turn and brightly lit with glowing signs and storefronts. Soleum keeps his yelling contained to his own mind as they pull in. The area is teeming with people just getting out of work, tourists stopping in the middle of the street to take photos, harried shopkeepers running from place to place. They would have to slow down regardless of the fatigue pinching at their muscles and joints. On the bright side, the smell of good food is abundant, instantly making the ride out there worth it.
Soon enough, they stop in front of a crowded bike rack and what he presumes is the amazing tteokbokki stall Agent Choi was speaking of. Briefly, Soleum sits there disoriented, then realizes he still has that cigarette hanging from his mouth. It isn't even burning anymore. Whatever, he keeps it rolled to the side for now, unsaddling from the bicycle. ]
Is this it?
[ Are they free from bike purgatory, Agent Choi? ]
[Oh... He might have pushed him a little too hard, huh.]
[Choi grins at him as they disembark. He strips off his jacket and sets it over the basket to conceal the contained items, then stretches his arms with an overdone groan.]
Hoo, that was a workout!
[He's sweaty, sure, but he feels good. Exercise feels good, doesn't it? His heart is pumping and it reminds him he didn't work out this morning, he was in such a rush. Nice and stretched, he leans forward and plucks the unlit cigarette from his mouth, waving it in between his fingers. It's pretty much ruined. Can't have his first smoke be this terrible.]
You wait here with the bike. Can't lose two in one day, right? Aha - Ajumma!
[And he's waving to one of the stalls, greeting the older woman working there like she's an old friend. She greets him similarly and they engage loudly in the transaction, Choi pointing out what he wants and her adding extra garnishes for him, making suggestions, asking if he's eating properly - it's a conversation he's had hundreds of times and will have hundreds more. He left Looky Mart alive, after all.]
[When he returns with the bag of food, Choi holds up an ice-cold bottle of water, fresh from a cooler, and presses it to Soleum's cheek, bypassing any attempts to accept it via hands like how normal people give things.]
You did great work today, hubae. [Now he finally lets him take it, a sort of prideful look in his eye. He's got another full bottle in the bag for him if he downs this one.] I put you through a lot, but you never complain. Thanks for putting up with me.
[Kind of joking, kind of not. He's aware of his overbearing manner but he also believes it's a means to an important end. Soleum is doing well despite all of this, and that means he's something special.]
[ Peering up at the other agent in startle, Soleum's hand snaps to his cheek, rubbing at the cool condensation clinging to his cheek. He has a hard time refuting Agent Choi when he's acting like a proper senior employee looking after his junior, giving him credit where credit is due. It always takes him by surprise when he gets like this, the way even the sharpest edges of him seem to soften, as if he truly means it, as if all his hard-won experience can't outmatch the gentleness inherent to him. But that's just part of why he's so well-connected with others in this universe, why even an unnamed ajumma is chummy with a guy like Agent Choi.
His troubled gaze shifts to their feet, head bowing down a half-step. ]
A-Ah, yes, me as well! Thank you for putting your trust in someone like myself.
[ Not that he did much besides work on forms for half the day and walk around in the sweltering heat. Without thinking to take a drink, he sets it aside in the holder and rushes to retrieve his wallet from his back pocket, slipping out a few bills. ]
This is what I have on me right now, but if you need more I can pay the remainder tomorrow.
[Still on his senior-kick, Choi sets his hand over Soleum's wallet before he can even pull the bills free.]
No, no, you can pay next time. [He says this every single time.] This is a treat, remember? I called you all the way out to deliver a bike, so you deserve something to repay your effort. Here, eat, eat.
[Choi holds open the box of food, still red hot. There are tons of fish cakes mixed into the rice cakes, doused in spicy-sweet sauce which Choi holds up eagerly for Soleum to take a taste of. There's even a couple eggs in there, split down the middle and bright red all throughout, fully marinated in the stew.]
You know how Jaekwan is, you have to enjoy some now before we get back. He'll eat the whole bag, he's got the stomach of a bear. [Is that the saying? Regardless, he uses a toothpick to stab up a few of the rice cakes - and, yeah, it's hot, but isn't that a good thing on a hot day? You're supposed to eat spicy, hot things when it's sweltering outside, right?]
Hoo... [His tongue hurts, actually.] Besides - She gave me the waters for free! [Because she said "Are you still torturing your juniors, Choi-ssi" and he couldn't really deny that but that's okay it's free cold water!]
Um, if it's hot for you, you should blow first. And I doubt Agent Bronze would appreciate that comparison… [ But he's not in disagreement; the other agent does eat quite a bit. ] Will the leftovers be enough for him?
[ The spices wafting up from the to-go tray smack his senses like a baseball bat hitting a home run. Agent Choi's egging wins him a weak, unconvinced look in return from Soleum before he daintily pricks at an egg slice with a toothpick. The astounding heat is what seeps into his taste buds first, then the immense flavor of the gochujang, but rather than wince or reach for his drink, he hums thoughtfully. ]
It's good. The sauce really sticks well.
[ Even though his tongue is sweating from inside his mouth.
He sucks on the toothpick to savor the last of the droplets, digging back in with a few of the thinner cuts of fish cake. ]
Mm, that's good, too — have you tried one of these yet, sir?
[ Soleum tips up one of the cakes closer to Agent Choi's face, just a hair's breadth away from poking his lips with the tiny skewer. ]
[He has given Jaekwan much worse comparisons, he should be happy to get something as tame as "bear-like." Soleum has surely seen that guy shirtless by now, anyway.]
Well, it's just a snack, so it's not like he'll have to survive off it... Hmm, this place cuts them up instead of folding them, and I like that way better, myself. [Without a thought, he leans forward to accept the food, taking it in one tug of his lips and chewing thoughtfully. His tongue and lips feel like they're going to char.] Yeah, it's good, right? And it's not that far from the bureau. You should come here sometimes, too.
[It's hard to tell how long Soleum has been in Seoul, given the total dearth of information that the bureau has found on him, so in a way Choi finds it oddly necessary to show him these things. As if he's never been a student, or lived in the city - which, given how he acts and speaks, surely can't be the case, right...? But who even knows.]
Spicy food makes me want to smoke, you know. Have you ever before? I made an assumption earlier, but then you tried to light up right away.
no subject
[ That wasn't even a thought in his head. But it could be better that Agent Choi believe that to be the case, rather than explain his plush doll wanting to breathe in secondhand smoke for whatever reason. He has enough misunderstandings plaguing him right now. ]
…I guess it's impossible for me to be like you. I knew that, I just… thought I could try.
[ Come on, Agent Choi. Just give him one cigarette to take home so that Soleum won't have to spend money on buying a whole pack to please a demanding ghost.
Feigning resignation, he hoists himself over the second seat of the bicycle in glaring silence, positioning his feet against the pedals. A long moment passes, then, acting as if he just realized something, Soleum jolts, as if recovering himself. ]
A-Ah! I'm sorry, let's see… The way the senior explained it to me was that leading involves steering and controlling the brakes. The only thing I can do from the back is help with the pedaling, so if you're prepared to do that, we can go.
no subject
...Now, that's just overkill, don't you think?
[With a sigh, he reaches into his pocket and retrieves the cigarettes and a lighter. Both are tossed toward him as Choi shakes his head.]
Do you know how often Jaekwan-ah begs me to quit? Now you'll get the same attention from him. Aren't you happy?
[Turning back around, he grips the handle bars and takes in a breath. Okay. Steering and braking. He can do that.]
Now, off we go!
no subject
It's been a while since he quit.
Leaving the rest of the carton pocketed, he holds a cigarette in his mouth, a little flame sparking from the lighter — ] Urk?! [ — right as Agent Choi starts to pedal ahead. Soleum just barely manages to keep a hold on the thing as they speed off. Hands slamming down on the bars with lighter wedged beneath, his lips crush down on the cigarette, mouth filling with tobacco, and obviously too much of it. His other hand hastily fetches the cigarette from his mouth as he dryly hacks up several coughs to the side, his eyes and nose stinging from expelling the smoke. ]
Slow — slow down, sir —
no subject
Don't worry, don't worry! Just do your best, you said I was the one navigating! Now, which way is north...
[And so, with the front basket full of contaminated items and a more-or-less reliable sense of direction, Agent Choi bikes them through the city. He looks back every now and then, mostly to make sure Soleum hasn't fallen off or something, but generally keeps his usual pace. Soleum said it himself, after all - he's mainly there for extra power, not the braking or directing. So Choi is more than happy to manage all three parts by himself. He's moe than used to taking on every single part of a mission without expecting the others to do anything. Much less risk involved.]
[Along the way, he points things out. Places he's been, some restaurants he likes. Mentions an area he used to live in being nearby, before he joined the bureau. But as always, most of his past is obscured, unshared. It's never occurred to him to go into any of it. He's just trying to share information that his junior might find useful, is all.]
[As they get closer to the market, he slows his pace - since, honestly, he's getting kind of tired. Two disasters, both of which required him to take a good long walk to get to, and now riding tandem with his junior... It's kind of a lot on him. His old bones or whatever. He should have taken off his jacket, but whatever. Where would he have put it, anyway? The basket's full.]
Soleum-ah! Think you can make it? We're almost there!
no subject
So it's surreal to hear him reveal these small facts about himself as candidly as he does. But more so, it's — exciting. He wants to know how he felt taking his aptitude test or what his initial first impressions were of his teammates. Did you always plan to become a government employee? When you entered the Cold Storage story, were you scared? However, except for a few polite questions here and there about how his current neighborhood compares, if the restaurant staff is nice, Soleum does a lot of listening throughout — even if his whole body weren't aching, this is what he'd choose to do. ]
I'm trying… my best.
[ At some point in the conversation, his legs were so exhausted he stopped pedaling altogether, but he can't do that now! They're so close to an unmoving seat — he forces himself to cycle, half-standing, leaned forward, and panting his ass off the entire time.
Eventually, the one of the entrance ways into Namdaemun Market shows itself, peeking free from behind a painfully sharp turn and brightly lit with glowing signs and storefronts. Soleum keeps his yelling contained to his own mind as they pull in. The area is teeming with people just getting out of work, tourists stopping in the middle of the street to take photos, harried shopkeepers running from place to place. They would have to slow down regardless of the fatigue pinching at their muscles and joints. On the bright side, the smell of good food is abundant, instantly making the ride out there worth it.
Soon enough, they stop in front of a crowded bike rack and what he presumes is the amazing tteokbokki stall Agent Choi was speaking of. Briefly, Soleum sits there disoriented, then realizes he still has that cigarette hanging from his mouth. It isn't even burning anymore. Whatever, he keeps it rolled to the side for now, unsaddling from the bicycle. ]
Is this it?
[ Are they free from bike purgatory, Agent Choi? ]
no subject
[Choi grins at him as they disembark. He strips off his jacket and sets it over the basket to conceal the contained items, then stretches his arms with an overdone groan.]
Hoo, that was a workout!
[He's sweaty, sure, but he feels good. Exercise feels good, doesn't it? His heart is pumping and it reminds him he didn't work out this morning, he was in such a rush. Nice and stretched, he leans forward and plucks the unlit cigarette from his mouth, waving it in between his fingers. It's pretty much ruined. Can't have his first smoke be this terrible.]
You wait here with the bike. Can't lose two in one day, right? Aha - Ajumma!
[And he's waving to one of the stalls, greeting the older woman working there like she's an old friend. She greets him similarly and they engage loudly in the transaction, Choi pointing out what he wants and her adding extra garnishes for him, making suggestions, asking if he's eating properly - it's a conversation he's had hundreds of times and will have hundreds more. He left Looky Mart alive, after all.]
[When he returns with the bag of food, Choi holds up an ice-cold bottle of water, fresh from a cooler, and presses it to Soleum's cheek, bypassing any attempts to accept it via hands like how normal people give things.]
You did great work today, hubae. [Now he finally lets him take it, a sort of prideful look in his eye. He's got another full bottle in the bag for him if he downs this one.] I put you through a lot, but you never complain. Thanks for putting up with me.
[Kind of joking, kind of not. He's aware of his overbearing manner but he also believes it's a means to an important end. Soleum is doing well despite all of this, and that means he's something special.]
no subject
His troubled gaze shifts to their feet, head bowing down a half-step. ]
A-Ah, yes, me as well! Thank you for putting your trust in someone like myself.
[ Not that he did much besides work on forms for half the day and walk around in the sweltering heat. Without thinking to take a drink, he sets it aside in the holder and rushes to retrieve his wallet from his back pocket, slipping out a few bills. ]
This is what I have on me right now, but if you need more I can pay the remainder tomorrow.
no subject
No, no, you can pay next time. [He says this every single time.] This is a treat, remember? I called you all the way out to deliver a bike, so you deserve something to repay your effort. Here, eat, eat.
[Choi holds open the box of food, still red hot. There are tons of fish cakes mixed into the rice cakes, doused in spicy-sweet sauce which Choi holds up eagerly for Soleum to take a taste of. There's even a couple eggs in there, split down the middle and bright red all throughout, fully marinated in the stew.]
You know how Jaekwan is, you have to enjoy some now before we get back. He'll eat the whole bag, he's got the stomach of a bear. [Is that the saying? Regardless, he uses a toothpick to stab up a few of the rice cakes - and, yeah, it's hot, but isn't that a good thing on a hot day? You're supposed to eat spicy, hot things when it's sweltering outside, right?]
Hoo... [His tongue hurts, actually.] Besides - She gave me the waters for free! [Because she said "Are you still torturing your juniors, Choi-ssi" and he couldn't really deny that but that's okay it's free cold water!]
no subject
[ The spices wafting up from the to-go tray smack his senses like a baseball bat hitting a home run. Agent Choi's egging wins him a weak, unconvinced look in return from Soleum before he daintily pricks at an egg slice with a toothpick. The astounding heat is what seeps into his taste buds first, then the immense flavor of the gochujang, but rather than wince or reach for his drink, he hums thoughtfully. ]
It's good. The sauce really sticks well.
[ Even though his tongue is sweating from inside his mouth.
He sucks on the toothpick to savor the last of the droplets, digging back in with a few of the thinner cuts of fish cake. ]
Mm, that's good, too — have you tried one of these yet, sir?
[ Soleum tips up one of the cakes closer to Agent Choi's face, just a hair's breadth away from poking his lips with the tiny skewer. ]
no subject
Well, it's just a snack, so it's not like he'll have to survive off it... Hmm, this place cuts them up instead of folding them, and I like that way better, myself. [Without a thought, he leans forward to accept the food, taking it in one tug of his lips and chewing thoughtfully. His tongue and lips feel like they're going to char.] Yeah, it's good, right? And it's not that far from the bureau. You should come here sometimes, too.
[It's hard to tell how long Soleum has been in Seoul, given the total dearth of information that the bureau has found on him, so in a way Choi finds it oddly necessary to show him these things. As if he's never been a student, or lived in the city - which, given how he acts and speaks, surely can't be the case, right...? But who even knows.]
Spicy food makes me want to smoke, you know. Have you ever before? I made an assumption earlier, but then you tried to light up right away.