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"memory is a monster."

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i am not my character, please separate ic and ooc from one another.

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“even if everyone tells me to let go of your hand, i’ll let go of theirs, but never yours”

relationship: forbidden exes. his first love. his weakness. his former ally
gender: female
age: 30-36
rank: sangmin or cheonmin
inspired by: yi soon and jang okjung from living in love, jang okjung

“you don’t see me as a man, but as a sky you’ll never reach. let me show you, the sky will fall for you.”

background: muse a was a woman that rose from rags to riches, becoming one of the most powerful women in joseon without a title or status to her. she was a fixer and a closer, connecting some of most powerful people from qing to joseon and orchestrating some of the biggest deals in the nation. her journey originated from her need to help her family. after a life changing event, she realized that for her to stay with and help her first love, taejoon, they both needed power. however, it was that same path that turned her over to the dark side. while surrounded by wealth

personality: a femme fatale. some would find her admirable for her ascent into power, others would see more akin to an evil dog without morals and dignity. ambition never seemed to run through her veins. she accepted her status, wanting a comfortable life with her family. once she experienced discrimination because of her status, her hunger grew. she lost sight of her motivations, instead led by a need for power and wealth. she’s willing to do whatever it takes, has little empathy for others, leading to those she loved abandoning her. if it wasn’t for her status and gender, nothing would hold her back.

relationship with taejoon: they are each other’s first loves, meeting shortly after his eighteen birthday. originally, she refused to accept taejoon’s feelings, knowing the difference in their classes, unaware at first of his true origins. once aware of his past, she decided to become his partner in revenge and love. despite taejoon’s murky status and background, duke seol forbade the relationship because she was below his precious grandson. the duke would eventually try to force the two to break up, but nothing seemed to work. even the event that changed her over to the dark side could not stop them, just yet. however, taejoon could not handle it. their love did not turn them for the better, rather they brought out the worst in each other. while he would had sacrificed himself for her, he had to end things once she did the unthinkable. til this day though, he knows he would do anything for her. sometimes he wonders if she is the one that got away.

“you told me that you would hold my hand forever, but now you’re letting go.”

notes:
- the life changing incident ideas: duke seol causes muse a to have a miscarriage or destroy her family.
- the unthinkable event that causes their breakup has to be pretty heinous, but justified in her mind. after all, it was for their future.
face claim suggestions: kim jaekyung, kim jiwon, cha jooyoung, chae soobin, lee chungah, chun woohee, jo boah, lee seyoung, gong seungyeon, lee elijah, jang heejin, shin minah, kim hyunjung, kim ahyoung, seo hyunjin, im soohyang, kim hyojin, lee dahee, go ara, park jihyun, bona/kim jiyeon, min hyorin

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the seol family home in gangneung was situated on a hill, close to the ocean. it was with this distance, there was a distinct salty, but crisp, scent that would coat one’s nose and tongue. it was those same crashing waves that would sometimes overwhelm a newcomer to such brilliant waters at first. yet the clean air would refresh the soul of its tension. during cool mornings, fog would drape over the estate that at times made the home feel like a maze.

on a particular morning in 1852, there was a new scent and sound introduced to the estate, both bitter. those passing by would swear that they could had heard something. however, those in the estate would reject such claims, but were all sworn to say such words.

“please, grandfather,” goo kyungjoon wailed.

the youngest of his once good family’s name was on his knees, pounding his fists on the ground. those clouds of dirt that kicked up swirled around him and his older brother, kyungho, dirtying their newly washed selves and adding another layer to their barely cleaned clothes. it was only an hour ago, the boys spent their chilly morning bathing nearby to ensure that they would arrive to the seol in their finest look that they could afford. kyungjoon’s hair was short compared to many boys their age, but was longer compared to their times in the camps, where he had to consistently shave it. their clothes were worn out cotton, stains faded and difficult to remove from their constant travel. still he would straighten out the wrinkles that always seemed to returned. he beamed.

kyungjoon that morning would only ramble about the things he wanted to do with their mother: share a simple meal with her and his brother, walk with her around the family’s gardens as she tended to her flowers, and fall asleep to her lullabies in their warm home. it was these wishes and memories that kept him going all these years. things that families would do together.

yet in that moment, the chance to do all of this seemed to be fading away.

some of kyungjoon’s earliest memories included his grandfather. the old man was cold to the twins, but gave them presents whenever they came to visit. most children at their age received candies and toys, but the goo twins would be gifted swords, arrows, and literature classics. anything that would further the boys later in life. now though was it possible for him to be even colder compared to back then? perhaps, change was possible. the duke’s jet black locks peppered with gray. his eyes narrowed at the boys, but wrinkles were deeper than the goos once remembered. the duke’s sneer, it was one with pure disgust that kyungjoon would perfect over the years, displaying them to his enemies on the battlefield.

“how dare you fools come to my home? this early in the morning to bother us, making these preposterous claims that you’re…. them,” duke seol roared. his eyes flicked over to each boy, noting what similarities could be left to his once beloved grandsons. nearly ten years had passed, anyone could make such claims at this point. “goo kyungho and kyungjoon do not exist. they’re dead.”

the youngest goo shook his head repeatedly. his jaw dropped. almost all of the color drained from his face. in pure desperation, on all four he raced to the duke’s feet. his arms seized the old man’s leg, his nails sinking past the silk hanbok and into the nobleman’s skin. he pleaded, “no, no, no. grandpa, it’s me. it’s kyungjoon.” barely turning his head back, he continued, “and that’s kyungho. you have to believe us. grandpa, please-”

“get your filthy hands off of me, you lying bastard!” the duke boomed. it took a few hard kicks, just to wiggle the desperate teen off of him. to ensure the message was sent, he delivered a hard blow to the chest that sent kyungjoon flying back. a hard thud could be heard from his back, just inches away from gashing into a sharp rock’s edge.

the boy had fought men that could easily crush the old duke. kyungjoon dealt with injuries that should had him bedridden for days. despite his challenges, he made sure to come out of each battle victorious to have the chance to live another second, minute, and hour. he never had a day of rest, applying what shoddy herbs were hastily picked from the forest and a quick nap before jumping into the next fight. in that moment though, the wind was knocked out of the teenager, unsure for a split second that he would be able to ever breathe again. he clutched his chest, trying his best to breathe, get what little air that could enter his body. his ears pounded, he could only hear his heartbeat thumping hard in his eardrums.

back in the camps, he used to spend nights falling asleep to fantasies of what a family was supposed to be like. to him, families would spend time together and stick together. everything was about being together, even when pulled apart. while he shivered, barely covering himself with a straw mat on cold winter nights, he would still think about his mother, his grandparents, uncle, aunt, and cousins. he wondered that maybe they thought of him too, in their warm homes, but with them under the same moon and stars. with the duke in front of him though, was this how family was all this time? was this why no one came for him, his brother, and father? was his father’s death in vain?

however, it was with that clutching, he felt a familiar pendant under his ragged clothes. his jaw clenched, his teeth ready to break from the force as he tried his best to hold back hot tears that betrayed him, trickling down his cheek slowly. without hesitation, he pulled out the pendant and threw it to the duke, along with the other two that he shoved deep into his pockets as if his life depended on it. the first time they would be revealed in years, the pendants that duke seol gifted to his children and grandchildren, proof that they were of his prestigious bloodline.

“hyung, show him,” kyungjoon pleaded with hot tears now cleansing his face, renewing his soul. there was a fire in the youngest goo’s eyes that unlike the ones he had, revealing his determination to survive. this one was that of rage, a fury that was brought upon him by the one person he least expected it from, his own grandfather.

with all four pendants near the duke, he growled at the old man that he only considered moments ago family, “there! is that enough for you? what can i do to prove ourselves to you?”

for the first few seconds, the duke took long silent steps to the four necklaces that he once gave to his daughter and her family. even if she left to a new household, it was seol blood that ran in their veins, what made them worthy to him. anything that was his meant something, but as he picked up the pendants he held them up to the cloud covered sun. despite the caked in grime that covered the jewels, the custom designs matched to each person. regardless of this discovery, his face was still stoic before tossing the pieces back at kyungjoon, “this means nothing. even if they were back, they’re useless to me. only good as dead.”

the duke would change his words a year later, wiping out the lives of goo kyungjoon and goo kyungho. receiving new titles and identities, they would rechristened as seol taejoon and seol juhwan, becoming new pawns in the duke’s games and starting their lifelong revenge on those that wronged them.

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“joon-ah”

this is one of the first few memories, seol taejoon has. his first memory as goo kyungjoon. he remembers being at his family’s estate in changwon, a cooler day in spring with the cherry blossom petals that fell around them. his mother chased after him and his older twin, kyungho, while his father and grandmother sat a pavilion nearby, sipping on tea and reading poetry together. it is one of the last few good memories the family would have together.

the goo family was the last of their kind and name. for many generations, the family would only birth one son to each generation and luck would have it where those singular men would live to adulthood, carrying and passing the family name. when goo kyungmin and seol jukyung ended up with twin boys, it seemed to be a miracle. the family counted their blessings with each passing day. duke goo kyungmin had a prestigious career in the court as an interpreter and ambassador between joseon and japan. seol jukyung was the epitome of being blessed as a wife and mother, flourishing in these roles, while remaining as her father, duke seol’s favorite child.

tragedy would strike, torpedoing the family into a spiral that they would never survive from. while in japan, duke goo was framed for collaborating with a local official in the murder of a feudal lord. it was at this time, the duke’s wife and children were in japan for vacation. with the whole family arrested, they were thrown in a military camp. the boys were only four years old, but already their life had gone from color to black and white.

seol jukyung appeared to be the lucky one, her father only able to ensure her release from the japanese government a year later from the arrest. however, goo kyungmin, kyungho, and kyungjoon were sentenced to death. the separation and loss broke down lady seol, who would forever spend her days at her father’s estate, searching for her husband and children. no one could say anything to her, knowing that she was a lost cause.

in response to the criminal charges, the joseon ordered that the goo family would be stripped of their titles and assets, demoting duke goo and his children to cheonmin status. with no “heirs” left, many families fought like hyenas for those crumbs. however, duke seol did everything he could to collect his former son-in-law's property, leaving it for his daughter.

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TAKEN

part skeleton/part connection

relationship: exes

preferences: female and gisaeng. 28/32+ (this depends on if you connect with seol taejoon or jin jaeha)

genre: angst, drama, and possible romance

inspired by jang noksu, mainly honey lee’s portrayal from the rebel (2017)

preferred faceclaim: lee honey, seohyun, kim jaekyung, park gyuri, park jihyun, han yeseul, kim soyeon, lee dahee, lee chungah, sunmi, lee mijoo, lim jiyeon, jeon yeobeen, seo hyunjin, cha jooyoung, im soohyang, kim taeri, shin minah, jeon jongseo, lee elijah, sunhwa, go ara, park minyoung

notes
- warning: s.a.

doesn’t need to have a child. however, it would highlight her cutthroat and selfish nature.
- a confident femme fatale that knows her beauty, value, and potential. she will use this to her full advantage. saw her to be cunning and manipulative. she could raise or tear down any man she chooses. in some ways, inspired by hwang jini, a combo of brains and beauty.

people call her a monster, but do monsters cry? she was an expert in manipulation, commanding anyone to her her will. she used this well in her career as a gisaeng, a cycle that never seemed to end for the women in her family. growing up, she watched her mother become the new mistress to every magistrate that came into the town. their lifestyle depended on how well she got along with the magistrate. it continued like this for years until one day the newest official did not ask for her mother, but for her. both women were powerless, unable to say no. she could never forget or forgive those involved for putting her up on a platter like that.

she realized that she needed power at all costs. even years later, she tossed aside her young child and taejoon. to him, muse a was his first love and the one who treasured her most in the world. no matter what taejoon put into their relationship, he would always be on the losing side. all of this to become the most powerful woman in joseon. without power, how can she get her revenge on those that wronged her and stop her abuse because of her low status?

relationships

seol taejoon: to him, muse a was his first love and the one who treasured her the most in the world. yet, she knew he couldn’t provide her the resources and power she needed, despite his lineage. despite their past and the pain she’s put him through, he would always run to her whenever she asked. if she said jump, it was not a question of if he would, but rather how high.

jin jaeha: he could be one of the men that muse a uses for power. her benefactor, who works as a spy for him too.

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older brother and twin

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warning: violence, death, gore

seol taejoon is best known for his moniker, the butcher. it is a name proven by the legends about him. on the battlefield, he hates using guns and spears. rather he carries an axe and sword with him, anything that lets him fight his enemies up close, such distance allowing him to taste and smell their fear. he slaughters his enemies, laughing his way through battles at times. there have been tales of him dragging his enemies across towns and fields by his horse, after they were chased down by him. the unlucky ones that survive rarely are sent to prison camps. if caught by him, most are murdered on the spot. he believes he is merciful for this, that it is better to end their sufferings there than to prolong such fears. he lives through this bloodshed.

many stories have been told of him destroying villages and residents there, but those that know him say it's quite the opposite. rather, he leaves the locals alone and even tells his men to leave them some supplies for the people to recoup. he says that it's a lesson from the art of war, but some swear that maybe he does not live up to his name completely.

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for a few months in the camps, taejoon was adopted by a local government official, who recently lost a son around the same age and looked similar to him. while taejoon lived in a life of luxury and doted on 24/7, he would eventually be thrown back to his hellhole. the official's wife hated how he was nothing like her son, despite their age and appearance. it was from there on, the five year old would start his struggles with trust and abandonment.

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seol taejoon was born as goo kyungjoon, the youngest of the twins and last of his family's lineage. when the family was arrested and thrown into the camps, he would eventually receive the name, hikaru. despite his tears and hardships he was put through, somehow he forced a smile at the end of the day.

when duke seol reinvented his grandsons' lives, kyungjoon chose taejoon. he remembered how his mother used to always call him, joon. wanting to keep that element and wishing that one day she would recognize him again, he kept the character, joon, in his name. the closest he feels to his mother now when she refers to him as joon, even if she still does not recognize him as her own.

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name: seol taejoon

- formerly known as goo kyungjoon

- other aliases: hikaru

- faceclaim: wi hajoon

age: thirty

birthplace: changwon, joseon

social rank: yangban

title: marquess

occupation: general of the joseon army

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a yangban clan from gangeung in the gangwon region, the seols were known for their long line of famous generals, admirals, swordsmen, and political neutrality. this changed when a false accusation nearly annihilated the family. for the sake of survival and revenge, duke seol clawed his way to become the left state councillor. now fueled by greed and power, he strives to spread and continue his influence in every corner of the court through his grandchildren at all costs.

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STATUS TAKEN

relationship: ex fling
genre: comedy, drama, angst, potential romance, references of smut
preferences: female, 25+

note: it's a flexible plot that can go in many directions

occasionally taejoon is sent as an undercover spy to japan because of his vast knowledge of the language and culture, at times making him seem like one of the many locals there.

during one of his missions, he ends up in a fling with muse a, who happens to be there too. however, the two parties never reveal or realize that they're both from joseon. to them, it is nothing serious that required them to be personal with one another. eventually taejoon ghosts muse a, work coming up as usual. not much is thought about it until the two run into one another back in hanseong, revealing their true identities.

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relationship: on/off exes

preference: female, 27+

genres: angst, drama, romance

notes: this one is another toxic relationship

whenever muse a returned to taejoon’s life, it was a clear sign that something disastrous would follow soon afterwards. despite the bad luck that followed muse a, somehow these two always found their ways back to each other. there was nothing good between them, they were an unhealthy rollercoaster with a ticking time bomb. however, they were like two moths to a flame.

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i live and pray for your downfall, your family’s blood on my blade, your life in my hands

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i live and pray for your downfall, your family’s blood on my blade, your life in my hands

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relationship: one-sided enemies, fake friends

genres: angst, drama, revenge

preference: yangban. someone with an evil and greedy father, grandfather, or head of the household.

it was muse a’s grandfather/father that played a huge role in the goo family’s downfall. not too long after the duke and his family’s arrest, it was muse a’s grandfather/father that tried to take all of the goo’s estates and assets, which was barely stopped by duke seol. duke goo knew this, but was powerless in this fight, something that his children would always remember. from the moment duke goo passed, taejoon swore that he would get revenge for his family, for his poor father and helpless mother. it would be a process that would take years, but revenge is a dish best served cold. taejoon infiltrated his way into muse a’s life and family, smiling and serving them on the outside, but with a blade behind his back, ready to kill when the time strikes. he does not care that muse a had no involvement in his family's downfall, to him muse and the rest of their family is the same, names for him to eliminate from his list.

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TAKEN

preference: someone whose close relative, friend, or lover was in the military, passed in battle

genres: angst, drama, revenge

trigger warning: death

taejoon will never forgive himself for his last battle, the one that led to nearly half of his men gone. neither will muse a, whose loved one passed in the same battle, under taejoon’s leadership. muse a’s resentment towards taejoon grew with each and every passing day, especially after he was transferred to the royal inspector’s office. despite his close relationship with muse a’s loved one, muse a cannot find it in them to forgive him.

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relationship: enemies

preference: male, 30+, yangban.

taejoon could never fully understand muse a, one of his worst tormentors the moment their eyes met. despite both being yangban men from illustrious families, muse a made it a point to emphasize the differences between them. muse a had to prove his superiority over taejoon, whose background was still a mystery to many in high society. as years passed, both men continued on their respective journeys, but the rivalry continued between them. while taejoon vowed to be the better man, never to stoop to such lows, he swore he would one day prove that muse a was no better than him in any way, only worse.

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on the surface, his nephew, but really his cousin.

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writing style: detailed first/script and third

- will mirror responses.

- i am a slower responder.

- extra: i am slower with 3rd/para responses. just started writing in 3rd/para, so please excuse my rough responses.

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they were a yangban clan from changwon in the south gyeongsang region, the goo family were known for their intellect as many were government officials and scholars at sungkyunkwan. a number of these men were also previous kings' personal advisors and tutors. towards the end of the family's lineage, they did not bear many children, thus the miracle of twins. the last generation of the family was said to be arrested and thrown in a japanese military camp. the goo clan is considered to be wiped out completely.

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contrary to the public’s belief, duke goo and his children were still alive in the camps. everyday generals and soldiers would torture the former joseon official, hungry for every bit of information possible. eventually goo kyungmin would be a shell of the man he once was, his limbs dismembered and spirit crushed.

kyungjoon would be called hikaru in the camps. as one of the youngest people there, he was an easy target by many. just in his first few months there, he was adopted by a local wealthy official’s family, who recently loss a son. what should had been a life of luxury was that of a nightmare instead. everyday, he missed his family and struggled fitting in with the family’s expectations of him replacing their deceased son. everyday he would sob as the family yelled and hit him into assimilation of high class edo society. unsatisfied that hikaru could never become their son’s carbon copy, they threw him back in the camps.

it was from then on, hikaru grew into his name meaning light and radiance. everyday the soldiers forced the boy and his older twin brother into becoming their slaves, doing whatever they wanted. however, it was in that time, he would slowly turn into the monster that he is known to be today.

for their own kicks, boredom, and stress, the soldiers used the boys as their outlet. often time, taejoon would be beaten, burned, and turned into a target practice. during the evenings, he was cheap entertainment, forced into fights that the soldiers would place bets on. despite his injuries that sometimes left his restless, he was forced to start his mornings early and end his evenings late, hungry and exhausted.

in the early days of the camp, he was considered easy pickings because of how little it took to break him down, to have him bawling and begging. however, that would soon translate to his happy-go-lucky personality there, eager to please. anything to help him and his family, to avoid them from any harm. when the boys were not busy with the tasks handed to them, they would wander around the camp and watch how the soldiers trained. copying the training soldiers and their opponents during their fights, they eventually picked up various martial arts skill sets. while they lacked basic training, the potential was there that turned them into fierce fighters.

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like the seol estate in gangneung, the goo family’s main residence in changwon sat comfortably in the mountain side. its placement provided the best of many worlds, the higher elevation provided protection from typhoons and potential floods. there, one could faintly hear the brightness of town’s people below, the stalls hawking for new customers and entertainers in the square during major festivals. yet those in the estate could be soothed by the nature that surrounded them, the trees bustling from gentle breezes and the sweet scent of the flowers that permeated across and around the property. the close, but safe, distance from the shoreline brought in cool wind for the family in the summers. many would comment from the estate’s gates and garden, one could see all of the town along with the ships that came in and out of the ports, but the water’s brilliant shades of blue was what stood out.

while it was a marvelous sight in the daytime, duke goo kyungmin and his wife, duchess goo jukyung always said that the most beautiful view was in the evening. they were high enough that the stars in the sky were like white diamonds strewn rich black-blue silk. dreamer would believe at this height, they were close to pluck and wear these stars as their own jewelry if one tippy toed just enough. however, the homes in the town illuminated from their lanterns. the lights were changwon’s yellow diamonds scattered around the town, even more so during the festival seasons. it was a diamond shade more rare than its white counterpart and like changwon's people, even more precious.

this something that the young goo kyungjoon could not understand as a child. he was too busy during his summers playing with kyungho on the swings, trying to break the family’s record rather than enjoying the sights. the closest he got to nature were runs in the forests and eating sweet slices of watermelon with his brother, grandma, and mother as their father was away in the courts. as an adult, seol taejoon could see what his parents meant as he sipped crude, but strong, liquor alone at the estate’s pavilion that overlooked the same views that his parents used to enjoy nights together, long after tucking in their twins.

it was in this spot, taejoon wondered about what his father and mother talked about. during their late nights together, would they had realized that the beautiful world they created together would be gone in a matter of no time? that one day they would need to prepare for their devastation? however, with his own wondering, he knew that the answer to his questions was unfortunately, no. they were young and in love, enamored with each other and their family that seemed to come out of a fantasy. they had no reason to prepare for the worst, ignorant and blind of the world’s dangers.

that was their downfall, something that taejoon would never fall to. he knew to expect and prepare for the worst, but never hope for the best. that last part was silly, nearly foolish to have such expectations. he was failed at every turn, dreaming seemed almost nonexistent.

yet, he had one dream.

he dreamed of a day where he finally finished reached his goals, exacting revenge on everyone that wronged him and his family of their happiness. the same people that robbed the goo twin’s innocence, forcing them to mature in a nearly impossible pace that would ruin most, and one that transformed goo kyungjoon into the monster seol taejoon was today.

when all was said and done, seol taejoon dreamed that he could one day shed his mask and be goo kyungjoon once again. as kyungjoon, he could move back into goo changwon estate that was under duke seol’s hands. there, he would live the rest of his days in peace with his paternal grandma, his twin brother, and his mother. the family would eat every meal together, just like every other family told in fairytales. the food would be from the goo farmlands, prepared carefully by kyungjoon himself, made with love for those he cared for most.

he would spend days with his mother and and grandmother. on better days, he and his mother could stroll in the town, where he would buy her whatever accessories her heart desired. they would watch the travelling circus in the square, like the times when his father used to carry him on his shoulders during these performances. on warmer days, they would sit under the trees and read, albeit kyungjoon would be a tidbit slower than his mother and grandmother. sometimes he and kyungho would spar, but it would be to maintain their skill, sometimes in jest and maybe to entertain the town’s children. from time to time, him and his mother would walk along the beach and collect seashells before grabbing fresh octopus for a hearty stew. to end off the night, he would tell his mother goodnight and thank her once again for being his mother.

yet, he knew better than to dream of seol jukyung returning back to her senses and realizing that her two boys were back. while she could never recognize seol juhwan and seol taejoon as her twins, goo kyungho and goo kyungjoon, her youngest boy was content just from being by her side.

that was all he dreamed of, living with his family in peace. not as the seol clan, but as the goo family.

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preferred genres: angst, drama, slice of life, romance

with romance, this does not guarantee our characters are endgame. rather, the plot has romantic elements to it like former lovers, current attractions, etc.

location preferences: walls typically, but will respond in rooms. anything smut related, strictly pm.

genre avoidances: nothing too fluff, comedic, or action based. willing to do comedy if the plot calls for it and it feels natural.

triggers/limits/will most likely not plot with:

incest

sexual assault. it's fine if it is part of your character's background.

cancer. will most likely avoid plotting/rping with your character if it's part of their background in some way, especially if it is vital to your character or the plot.

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there is no preference between the two.

plotting essentials and notes

for plotting please send a pm.

if you do not have any ideas when approaching me, please tell me what you like/don't like.

i can get extremely detailed and ask too many questions during the process, just a warning. this happens more so when there's history, angst, or complicated layers between our characters. i want to make sure we are on the same page.

please contribute to the plotting process. it helps me immensely when suggesting ideas, but also inspires me to do better.

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the boys were fourteen.

like many of their same aged peers, they rebelled. instead of fighting back against their parents, they followed their father to the very end, granting each wish of his. the general in the camp was ready to enlist the boys into his army, noticing their rudimentary potential. they were young, but old enough to hold a sword and broken beyond their years.

kyungjoon turned back into his sobbing five year old self that night. more often that he wanted, he nearly killed his opponents in his fights, but made sure to leave them just breathing. he could not stand the idea of taking another's life. however, it was that night his father asked him to do the unthinkable, to kill him and runaway. his head throbbing from the never-ending tears shed, his arm against his mouth to muffle his sobbing, he begged over and over.

“please, father. don’t make me do this. i can’t. please.”

however, he would only look at his father one last night time, a smile on the older man’s face, before embracing him tight in a fight. he held onto his father tight until he felt his older brother do what he could not, stab straight through the heart. it was fast, a short time of suffering for the former duke goo, one a pain that would last for a lifetime for both boys.

had it been his way, kyungjoon would had held onto his father tight all night, until every single bit of warmth left the once proud man’s body. instead, it was kyungho that had to drag his sobbing younger twin away. the only thing that kyungjoon could do for his poor father was start the fire that engulfed the hell that they lived in for the past ten years, but would never consider home.

despite the time that passed, changwon was their home. their mother was their last bit of home.

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not much to expect from a bastard like him

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not much to expect from a bastard like him

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preference: female. 27+. most likely yangban. if not, comes from a heavily connected and/or politically savvy jungin family.
relationship: arranged engagement.
note: as of right now, i have/will be writing taejoon’s fiancee as an npc until someone takes this connection.

seol taejoon hates everything about this engagement and will do anything to end it. he knows there is no love lost between him and muse a. after all, her family once looked down on him. a bastard son with unsavory rumors about his origins, he is a fake yangban to many of their peers. he is a rowdy tiger that has butchered many in his path, the human version of a beast. however, as duke seol’s youngest son and a general in her majesty’s army, one cannot resist the prestige and connections that come with his background. he sees right through muse a and her family, adding it one of many reasons why they should end this engagement of theirs before it is too late.

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i do not poke. if there is no response after a few weeks/a month, i will eventually drop the plot and make it available to the public again. if the plot is still open, i'm open to plotting it again with you.

if i am not responding to you, it does not mean anything negative. i am slow with responses, so please be patient. me being in rooms is not a sign that i am ignoring you.

responses

overall: ooc is faster than ic. not a preference, it's easier for me to respond to something ooc.

ic responses: i try to get back to everyone at once.

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the goo twins would spend the next year on the run. they would experience freedom for the first time in ten years, but it was all too daunting with them alone on the streets of edo japan. as much as he hated it, taejoon returned back to fighting competitively, one of their main sources of income. on the side, they ended up pickpocketing and doing odd jobs here and there.

when the boys were caught stealing rice by an aged former samurai, he took them in during his final months. the man trained them the basic fighting skills that they lacked all these years. in return, the boys cared for the man until his passing. back again on the streets, the boys made their decision to return back to joseon, the country that turned their back on them.

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somewhere in the middle of japan. summer 1844.

“let me go! let me go! let me go!” five year old goo kyungjoon wailed.

his long hair was barely held up by a rag. locks were dirty and greasy from weeks of no bathing. what cleaned the caked on dirt from his face were his hot tears, revealing the redness in his face from the constant screaming he unleashed for the past hour. despite his age, his frame and strength were not like many other children. kicking his legs and flailing his arms, he was all too loose for comfort in the soldier’s arms. without fastening him, the little joseon boy would be free within seconds.

“we should just whack this fucking brat. my ears are going to burst,” the other soldier muttered in japanese.

“we can’t. you know they’re sending him off to lord matayoshi’s home. the kid can’t have a single mark on him, not even a paper cut,” the soldier holding onto kyungjoon groaned. he rolled his eyes before continuing, “they don’t pay us enough to deal with this shit.”

in background, kyungjoon still cried. he tried his best to reach out to his father and older twin brother, kyungho. how close he was to slipping out of the soldier’s arms, half of his body out of grasp, but it was not enough. he had to try. another hard kick, but somehow that did nothing to the soldier who had a stomach made of steel to the little boy. what he did not know was that later that night, the soldier would be groaning in pain with a healthy trace of bruises. it was also this same solider who would attempt to exact his revenge on the child for such an act.

trying was not enough. goo kyungjoon had to escape.

if he did not now, this would be the last time he would see his family. it was only a couple of weeks since his mother was separated from them. like kyungjoon, she and the family screamed and bawled as they were pulled apart that night. as expected from the younger and more sensitive half of the twins, it was kyungjoon that could not stop crying. sleep and exhaustion his only friend that night, finally stopping him. the next day, he would wake up with an excruciating headache unlike no other. his throat was hoarse and his eyes were dry, but somehow he had the ability to continue with his crying.

at first, none of the family knew of her fate. it was only through passing, the twins heard a swirl of tales of their mother. one said that she was sold off. another was that she became a mistress to a wealthy nobleman. there was even an accusation that she was sent back to joseon. in that tale, one version was that she was chopped up. another was that she was good for dead on her journey back, unlikely to make the trip. hearing each story had kyungjoon cold in his tracks, his fists tightening his baggy pants. still he could not pull away, needing to hear each version of his mother’s fate. he was unsure which one was the worst.

“this mutt gets to live in lord matayoshi’s home. imagine that.”

unlike his mother, kyungjoon learned what was his fate. he was to be adopted by a powerful nobleman. despite the talks of him now being surrounded by riches unimaginable, the little boy could not see it as that.
he would be the first of the goos to be truly away from the family. no one to have by his side.

"i don't want to go! please, i'll be a good boy. let me stay with my family, please," he begged.

goo kyungjoon was truly alone.

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the moment the boys landed in busan, they raced back to changwon, hoping to return back to their family estate and the peaceful lives they once had. what they would find was a nearly empty estate that lacked everything that made the grand mansion home. gone was love and joy. instead, it was just a well maintained estate, beautiful, but cold.

the twins learned what remained left of their family were in gangneung, their maternal family’s hometown. even after their long journey, the two were not welcomed with open arms. rather the duke saw them as fakes, vermin to be run out of his estate. in the past, there were those that tried to poach the goo family’s assets and many claiming to be the twins themselves. to him, the twins were no different.

their mother and grandmother were their saving graces, but not everything settled int their rightful spots. their mother did not see the twins as her sons, only remembering and searching for her five year old boys. yet, there was a connection between the three that she could sense, but never fully wrap her head around. her mind was not like it once was, nor would it ever be.

it was in that time, a dark hatred grew in him. a hatred for the family that ruined and tore his apart. a hatred for the country that left him and his family to fend for themselves. a hatred for the grandfather that never protected them. he needed his revenge, but was unsure of how at first.

in the year since their return to the seol family estate, they spent their time taking care of their mother and grandmother, but also training and honing their combat skills. noticing their skills, duke seol found purpose for the boys and finally accepted under certain conditions.

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duke seol renamed goo kyungho and kyungjoon as seol juhwan and taejoon respectively. to him, they were be the pieces he needed in the military sphere. he supported them to become the country's perfect generals, ones that he could control to continue his influence in the military.

he purchased them new yangban titles and identities, only announcing to the public that the twins were his secret sons that he kept hidden for privacy reasons. not much was known about them. rumors swirled about who their mother was. some said she was a beautiful gisaeng that met her unfortunate end when the duke refused to make her his concubine. others said she was a wealthy woman in japan, explaining the boys’ expertise in the japanese culture and language.

what was known was that to many they were fake yangban, never as good as the real thing.

with their new titles and identities, the duke wasted no time in building them up. he forced them to go through classes from dawn to midnight. they dealt in crash courses of literature, military strategy, and combat. all of this to become perfect yangban generals, but nothing would ever clean the grime off of the boys. while many of their peers would shine like diamonds, there was always a stain to them.

the moment taejoon turned eighteen, he enlisted in the military. there, it gave him the space he needed away from his grandfather. it also allowed him to start his lifelong plan for revenge.