Marley's eyes were shut tight as her fingers pinched the top of her closed laptop, her button nose crinkled upwards as her lips turned into anticipating grimace, to the point hidden dimples in her round cheeks had sunken in and shown themselves to the world. Weeks had passed since she messaged her newfound uncle all the way in South Korea after she looked through her results for her ancestry. The faceless profile that was online a month ago was her only clue to the great possibility of finding her bioligical parents. A month ago was a long time for Marely, some would even say 'forget it, they're not logging in anymore', but the billowing hope Marley had made her frantically scroll the internet for an online translator to send her first email to her mysterious family member.

The anxious breath she was holding had snorted itself through the passage of her nose as she rushed to open her laptop, the screen flashing at her inbox on the ancestry website, already refreshed and letting her know she had a new message. The light of the laptop illuminated her face as she almost pressed her nose against the screen, the 'click' of her mouse could be heard as she opened the message from her uncle and ran it through another translation site.

From: Ryuggi.go

"Aish...I don't usually respond back to scams, but this one is so terrible I had to! You don't even know good Korean to be able to scam me like this. What app did you use to write this? AI? Aish, I'm getting angrier by the second the more I type this out. Scammers like you would be cut by the neck in Korea! Don't you dare come here! I will be the first one to drag you to the police by the ear—"

A crazed guffaw fell from Marley's "o" shaped lips as she continued reading the string of other insults from her uncle, she was sure of it, this was her family member, and she immidiately wrote back, but this time in English to seem more sincere instead of the supposed scammer he thought she was before she ran off to show her adoptive parents her first message from the man.

"Marla, I won't lie but I would be very concerned if my uncle turned out to be this man."

The heavy southern accent boomed from her father as he looked at Marley from over the rimless frames of his glasses. Her mother hummed in agreement, her dainty hand covering her open mouthed expression of shock as she read the response. Before Marely could make her case in defense of her uncle, another 'ding' from her laptop had her scrambling to read the rather quick response she received.

From: Ryuggi.go

I tremendously apologise for my previous message....niece. Your Korean is so terrible I was sure you were a scammer! I'm sorry we had to meet this way and I feel disgrace for writing you off in such a way. I won't be of much help in your search of your parents since I don't speak to to the rest of our family and we don't live in Seoul. If you are ever in Korea please come visit! I have a daughter who goes to school in Seoul and she can show you around if you want. She will be just as happy to have the chance to meet you too! Please let me know when you decide to visit, I own a store and there's a living space above it we don't use much besides storage. You can stay there with my daughter!

The response was no longer questionable, but now Marley was in the hot seat. She was 20 and in her freshman year of college as an exploratory major, it was unideal to her parents for Marley to suddenly run off to a different country to stay with someone they were all strangers to while neglecting her future. Marley had no excuses, she was really trying her best to find what she was passionate about, especially one she had to do professionally. She loved creating videos for her secret social media account. They were faceless of course—a digital diary she let viewers come along with on her day, sometimes there was talking and other times there was music she picked for the entire videos, but people seemed to enjoy them, especially her journaling ones. Marley always seemed to have a question of her own for whoever was watching about their own outlook of their lives. Her parents were happy, but they wanted her to simply keep it as a hobby, so the promise of choosing an official major and maybe guilt-tripping them into stopping her from potentially finding her parents let her book that summer long vacation to Korea.

ISTJ

Quiet, serious, earn success by being thorough and dependable. Practical, matter-of-fact, realistic, and responsible. Decide logically what should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions. Take pleasure in making everything orderly and organized—their work, their home, their life. Value traditions and loyalty.

⌣ may not seem like the type to do so, but she is surprisingly confrontational

⌣ a great listener, but everyone realises they know nothing about her when they tell her everything about themselves later on, totally not done on purpose

⌣ almost unnervingly calm and relaxed at all times

⌣ actually pretty goofy and a tad unhinged the more you get to know her

⌣ surprisingly sentimental

⌣ is quietly curious about a lot of things, but finds herself resorting to her own research instead of speaking with others about it, maybe out of fear of coming off as "weird"

⌣ tolerant of a lot of things, but don't push her

﹙@plotting﹚: i don't mind brainstorming at all for a plot, especially when you approach, but please have something in mind that i can add to.

— i don't mind short plots or simple meetcutes to start off with just to see where things can go as far as character connections!

— if you like to change up the plot despite having started it, that is fine, i'm always looking to incorporate new ideas to create more suspense.

— no AI in any responses to me as i do not use AI in any of mine.

— above all, please let me know if you are no longer interested in a plot that way i can mark it off my reply tracker.

﹙@writing style﹚: para, multipara, detailed 1st, I have the tendency to mirror responses. novella at times but that is reserved for more in-depth and longer plots.

﹙@activity﹚: solid 4 for now + replies are done sporadically but mostly on the weekends whenever i truly have to time to make a flushed out response. poke me by the two week mark in case I have not replied to our thread.

﹙@ooc drama﹚none of that here. what is said ic does not reflect ooc me, only the character i'm rping. brackets or an ooc room will be used for ooc topics. 

﹙@age﹚: 55

﹙@height﹚: 5'7

﹙@occupation﹚: Toy maker

﹙@brief description﹚: A middle aged man who has had a joy for figurines and creating them since he himself was a child, he is considered to be a joy around Gapado for all the children who come to him for their own requests.

﹙@name﹚: Pending....

﹙@age﹚:

﹙@height﹚:

﹙@occupation﹚:

﹙@brief description﹚:

﹙@oc name﹚: Marley May

﹙@nicknames﹚: Marla, May

﹙@d.o.b﹚: 02.09.2005 (20)

﹙@birthplace﹚: Madison, Mississippi

﹙@education﹚: College Sophmore, currently taking a break

﹙@occupation﹚: Cashier

﹙@languages spoken﹚: English (Native), Korean (Elementary)

﹙@sexuality﹚: Hetero-greysexual

﹙@relationship status﹚: Single

﹙@goals﹚: To find her biological parents

— ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ

• ﹙@height﹚: 5'5

• ﹙@weight﹚: 125

• ﹙@physique﹚: Marley is on the slender yet muscular side, toned from sports she used to play throughout her life, with tawny like skin that was bronzed from the heat of the sun that made each day feel like summer in Mississippi. Her hair, brown with a tinge of red that can be seen under the spotlight of the sun, naturally waves loosely to the middle of her back as flying strands of layered bangs stick to the sides of her round cheeks, complimenting her rather short chin, and equally small nose with a not so prominent tip that lays flat with her small nostrils. They point downwards to a pair of rather large and full lips that are shaped like cupid's bow, but complimenting to her round features. A fairy-like face some would say.

• ﹙@hair colour﹚: Cherry Brown

• ﹙@eye colour﹚: Dark Brown

• ﹙@piercings﹚: Regular lobe piercings

• ﹙@tattoos﹚: None!

• ﹙@scars/beauty marks﹚: Freckles from being in sun as a kid, and a beauty spot directly under her left eye

• ﹙@personal style﹚: Marely dresses for adventure and comfort! She loves bright colors just as much as the earthy tones, but she finds herself dressed in elements that seem more down to earth or paired with effortlessly cool patterns. She prefers clothing that are oversized in her walks, and sometimes you might see her walking around barefoot just as she would at home. You can always count on seeing her around with a bandana or a hat of some sort.

  (fit 1, fit 2, fit 3, fit 4, fit 5, fit 6)

⌣ prone to burnout, needs a really good plan before she does anything related to a project

⌣ not so much hard-headed, but can be "too nice" and a bit too willing to give second and third chances

⌣ mentally organized but messy surroundings

⌣ kind of a forgetful when it comes to small details

⌣ can be considered lazy at times, it's simply because she's not so much a perfectionist

⌣ randomly feels alone

⌣ can sometimes take things too far

⌣ quick to say sorry, but sometimes she just wants to get it over with, she doesn't truly mean it until she actually sits down with her emotions and thoughts

Any details of these plots can be changed!

• Marely — Can I have a cup of sugar, neighbor? (Open): Ever since Marely has made herself at home in the apartment space abover her uncle's store, she finds the apartment is less lived in than she realises. The first time she she needs something from the grocery store, she's stopped at it's locked doors with the 'open' sign now flipped to 'closed', and happens to come to her closest neighbor for salt, a lot of it. The request isn't strange, it's who's in front of you who is.First impression, Marley simply looks like a high schooler who is walking the streets close to what is considered late for Gapado, and worry starts to creep on the perplexed neighbor when she shows up again, and again, and again.

• Duckie — 5 o'clock in the morning (Open): 5 on the dot is when the first ferry arrives Gapado! It's not your usual time, it's probably not what you do at all, but you find yourself taking the ferry that's headed to Seoul. It's not only you, but Duk Soon, the island's little creative who happens to be a bit more sweeter in the morning. She's drawing in her sketchpad, maybe you are too, but you quietly come up next to her and you're able to get a good glimpse of the lanscape she's etched. A reflection of the ocean waters passing them by as the ferry sets sail. It's all peaceful until the hefty tube back holding her other art smacks you in the face...and she's completely oblivious.

⌣ swears she knows everyone she's met for the first time since she always gets a feeling a deja vu

⌣ she doesn't know a lot of Korean, but when she speaks it she's very robotic and her southern accent is strong

⌣ talks loudly, even her whispers have a tendecy to be loud

⌣ loves collecting cameras and keeping old photos

⌣ will walk around barefoot as she does at home, doesn't like wearing shoes unless they're flip flops

⌣ cannot remember names but she will remember someone's face

⌣ hits people when she laughs

⌣ has 3 phones just for storage since she never deletes anything

⌣ she carries a tote bag with her at all times,along with her camera, old candy, and things anyone might able to ask for. she has it all!

⌣ will pause whatever she's doing in the moment to take photos to catch an aesthetically pleasing moment or shot

⌣ cares about everyone and everything so deeply that they get emotionally burnt out from caring and then end up seeming like they don't care at moments

﹙@likes﹚

⌣ reality tv (guilty pleasure), waking up late, foggy/rainy weather, volunteering, bike riding, having late night tea or coffee, swimming, marigold flowers, gossip, parties, secretly likes being the center of attention, competition

﹙@dislikes﹚

⌣ wearing slippers, can't stand the smell of fish, granola bars, arrogance and entitlement, children's tantrums, cleaning, people who underestimate her because of her bg and personality, overly serious people

﹙@hobbies﹚

⌣ journaling, creating vlogs/digital diaries, collecting cameras and older media, photography, impulsive online shopping, studying korean

"Mr.Ryu, I want you know that it is normal for children to be more...distant, especially during and after a divorce. It would be like this if she were to be living with her mother as well. I'm sure of it!" The child therapist explained to the worried Mr. Ryu who was out of sorts since his divorce with his ex-wife, who seemed to be going about her life in Seoul completely unbothered. Maybe Duk Soon had her mental resilience compared to him, she was just like her mother in more ways than one, but Duk Soon always spoke to him compared to the month of silence he was experiencing—and not just him, even her mother's phone calls went unanswered unless it was time for Duk Soon to spend the weekend with her.

The therapist could tell her reasoning did not quell the worries that painted themselves on Mr.Ryu's features, the man looked absolutely worn. She could only sigh, her eyes now downcasted and the reassuring smile she wore now gone as she spoke more honestly.

"I'm not placing blame as I don't know the terms of custody and the reasoning, but Duk Soon is a bottled up mix of frustration, sadness, and anger. At this time she probably feels unwanted by the parent she sees less, which is why she's pulling away. She's quite mature for her age, but she still wants to be babied, I advise you and her mother sit down together and speak with her."

No one else's advice besides what Ryu Doyoon read on the internet had never been more perfect. His divorce with Duk Soon's mother was one of lifestyle differences. Her mother came from a more affluent background compared to Doyoon, and despite her mother's love for her husband, she loathed the less than glamorous lifestyle Gapado provided, and while Doyoon promised to be the bread winner, she knew she could make tenfold at her old job in Seoul in comparison. Immediately after the divorce, Duk Soon's mother moved back to Seoul and was engaged to a hospital director within less than a year, someone who could afford the luxuries she wanted in marriage.

Doyoon is currently a toy maker, and he takes pride in having Duk Soon as his apprentice, despite her protests in leaving his shop for the dead whenever he mentions is, they both know that won't be happening. Duk Soon enjoys making custom toys as much as her father and even uses them to make stop motion films, to use as inspiration for her sketches, and children's books she has written in private that are unfinished. She attends university in Seoul, a far stretch away from Gapado Island when it comes to everyday traveling, but she enjoys it. She has no qualms with her mother at all and loves her to death, but she knows the woman can be a bit materialistic and has no regrets staying with her father. Time and time again Duk Soon's mother will try to offer her a place to stay in Seoul so it can be easier to get to classes, but Duk Soon thinks paying for her tuition is good enough. She gets paid by her father, it's generous, and she works around Gapado creating posters for the businesses and any other odd jobs that don't require too much elbow grease.

﹙@oc name﹚: Ryu Duk Soon

﹙@nicknames﹚: Duckie, Senior Kwak

﹙@d.o.b﹚: 05.15.2006(28)

﹙@birthplace﹚: Gapado, South Korea

﹙@education﹚: Gapado Community College (Illustration & Graphic Design)

﹙@occupation﹚: Cashier

﹙@languages spoken﹚: Korean (Native)

﹙@orientation﹚: Hetero-greysexual

﹙@relationship status﹚: Single

﹙@goals﹚: To get through college

— ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ

• ﹙@height﹚: 5'5

• ﹙@weight﹚: 120

• ﹙@physique﹚: Duk Soon is average height with a rather slender build that teeters on lanky from lack of movement and her bad posture. Her hair is pin straight and rivers down her back to meet her tailbone. Her big eyes are upturned to the point they look cat-like with a rather docile glint, almost as if they're assessing your next thought. Her nose is narrow with a not so prominent bridge that sticks out more when she smiles, and a tip that's just as pinched as her chin, but looks more stubby with each crinkle. Her lips are small and shaped into a triangle with her top tip thinner in comparison to the bottom, creating an almost permanent pout.

• ﹙@hair colour﹚: Licorice Black

• ﹙@eye colour﹚: Dark brown

• ﹙@piercings﹚: Regular lobe piercings

• ﹙@tattoos﹚: None!

• ﹙@scars/beauty marks﹚: None!

• ﹙@personal style﹚: Duk Soon can be considered a tomboy she loves street fashion, her denim, layering pieces, and keychains that stay on her belt loops. She takes a lot of inspo from 90's grunge and 2000's japanese street fashion. At times you can get the best of the both worlds, wearing a skirt or dress has never felt weird despite her usual style, she likes a sprinkle of everything.

  (fit 1, fit 2, fit 3, fit 4, fit 5, fit 6)

ESFP

Outgoing, friendly, and accepting. Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.

⌣ friends with the world, even if they don't consider her a friend she's always been able to rope people in her antics

⌣ has a tendency to "accidentially" eavesdrop, but she's a surprising keeper of secrets

⌣ she can come off as a bit shallow and self-centered, due to her trying to relate to others by using her own experiences as examples

⌣ she's quite level-headed in moments of conflict, but she does internalize things until a breaking point

⌣ she likes to think of herself as patient, but she's not very patient at all

⌣ very compassionate, just has a hard time wording it compared to expressing it

⌣ she likes to have her moments of peace and quiet, but she goes out of her way for others so much they don't last for too long

⌣ can be a bit controlling, sometimes she doesn't notice when she's doing so

⌣ not one to forgive so easily or give second chances depending on the situation

⌣ not very good at communicating her feelings at times, which can turn into passive aggressiveness

⌣ a bit of a pessimistic, she hates it too because not everything turns out as bad as her imagination makes it

⌣ perfectionist, sometimes whatever's "missing" will give her an edge of anxiety

⌣ despite her seriousness, she has a childlike wonder about herself when she starts talking about the things she likes

⌣ wears pens/pencils behind her ears

⌣ she collects trinkets of all sorts and likes to use them as reference, design toys after them, or simply keeps them and make a pretty display

⌣ always scribbling, drawing, writing something down, even has ink stains and doodles and notes to themselves all over their hands and arems usually

⌣ smells like her father's toy shop and art supplies, which can be a mixture of wood and crayons

⌣ is actually pretty scared of the dark and sleeps with a nightlight or the television on

⌣ loves to spend as much time outside whenever she can, and has a million plants she can never keep alive in her room

⌣ says she hates arguing, but just annoy someone she definitely has a stance she would never stand on or never heard of that is opposite of true reasoning just to annoy the other person

﹙@likes﹚

⌣ charm bracelets, recording her own thoughts as audio diaries, sound of ocean waves, adores children, diy art tutorials, stationary supplies, being in the moment, loves frogs, folktales & mythology, hanging out by the beach or lake

﹙@dislikes﹚

⌣ being late, tight crowds, feeling guilty, conspiracy theories but also believes a few of them, bullies, spicy food, sour candy, self-deprecating, nonsensical arguments and having her time wasted

﹙@hobbies﹚

⌣ sketching, writing, wood working, collecting magazines, graphic design, crossword puzzles and legos,