age: thirty-one

birthplace: seoul, south korea

religion: christian

occupation: junior partner at moon & partners, focusing on victim advocacy and rights, along with class action suits against systemic abuse and negligence. he also serves as the deputy lead in the pro bono division at moon & partners

languages spoken: korean (native), english (fluent), spanish (basic), and japanese (basic)

- gpa 4.2. president's list every semester
- volunteered at senior community centers.

- majored in international business and psychology
- gpa: 3.9. graduated summa cum laude.
- president of unsa (un student association)
- volunteered at senior community centers

- gpa: 4.0. graduated summa cum laude
- member of the yonsei law review 

relationship: longterm fling/situationship, mentor-mentee 

preference: female 35+

notes: relationship started around ten years ago

like the many women in kiha's life, muse a and him never had an official relationship. what made her different from the others was her being the older woman that taught him everything that he needed to know about life. her confident demeanor inspired him to break out of his shell, albeit a small step at a time. her jaded views on relationships confirmed his beliefs and avoidance on commitment. what started off with muse a as the teacher and kiha as the student sometimes reversed. whenever he has a problem, he tends to run to her  and find comfort there, his head on her lap while they both nurse heavy glasses of whiskey, another one of many life lesson that she taught him. she accidentally became the blueprint for intimacy in his adult life.

relationship: past complicated situationship

preference: female. 28+

note: this relationship most likely ended around two to three years ago

kiha has a bad habit, drunk calling to be precise. to be more specific, only with muse a that is. it is his own damn fault. muse a and kiha did everything that a couple would do, even loving each other, but without the titles and commitment that came with it. he practically lived at her place during law school, muse a taking care of him during that time too. he never gave into a relationship, despite her wants, saying that he did not have time for one. maybe when he had his life and career settled, he would consider it. eventually though, muse a gave up on him. there would never be a time for them. to make matters worse, they couldn’t even call it a breakup or each other exes because they weren’t even a couple. despite things ending, kiha still can’t get over her. maybe the same could be said for her.

relationship: rivals

preference: an attorney or prosecutor start sho started law school at the same time as kiha.

muse a and kiha constantly butted heads since the first day at yonsei law school. they constantly had to compete for first place in the class, law review, and mock trials. while the two rarely spoken to one another at parties or get togethers, they clashed it out in the classroom instead. even when they’re on the same side, one would take the opposite side just to make sure the other one didn't win. now with them both somewhat fresh out of school, the competition still continues between them and neither is backing down. 

relationship: cat and mouse

genre: drama and comedy

kiha has landed one of the biggest cases outside the pro bono division, a case no one else in the office could take. the reason? the defendant has connections with nearly everyone at the office, except him.

on paper, it's a slam dunk case. the evidence is solid. but in reality, it’s falling apart. fast. one by one, witnesses are backing out, intimidated or "persuaded" by the defendant.

muse a could be the star witness kiha needs, but they have made it clear they want nothing to do with the case. that is, until kiha discovers they live in the same building. from that moment on, kiha becomes relentless. determined to win the case, he will stop at nothing to convince muse a to testify.

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.

smut: i am slower with it these days. any smut related threads are in pms/gpms. i do not write romance and smut plots with writers under 21.

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.

terminal illness. 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. 

death

- 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.

• 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.

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.

but everything came at a price.

while most parents encouraged their kids to do their best, kiha’s parents demanded that he be the best. bringing home an a minus was treated like a failure. they always said he was smarter than that, better than that, so he had to deliver better results. even after skipping a grade and staying at the top of his class, it was never enough. grades always came first. fun could wait until he was successful. his parents reminded him that people only cared about success, so there was no point wasting time on little things like after school activities and relationships.

the pressure got to him. his life revolved around after school programs and study halls. food became one of his only ways to cope. by middle school, his weight made him an easy target for bullies. he had few real friends. most students tend to ask him for money, favours, or questions about the celebrities in his mother's agency. while he knew their motives, he still went along with it. at least this was better than being spat on or teased to his face.

the summer before senior year, his parents had him train and work out. he didn’t hit his goal weight by the time school started, but he saw the shift in how people treated him. with good grades, manners, and a new appearance, people treated him differently. now to others he seemed nearly "perfect", finally someone that deserved kindness and respect just for his looks alone.

he went on to attend seoul national university, double majoring in international business and psychology, but that still wasn’t enough for his family. law school was expected. while he delivered on those expectations, attending yonsei university law school, they still had more in mind for him. more specifically, they wanted him to work at the family's law firm. however, the years away from home changed him. he avoided internships at his family's firm and chose to work at legal clinics and the prosecutor’s office instead.

shortly before graduation, he received an offer from the central seoul prosecutor’s office. but once again, pressure came from home. after a difficult conversation with his grandfather, kiha agreed to join moon and partners, but only under one condition. instead of joining the firm’s corporate division, he negotiated his way into their pro bono department. it was there he thought he would continue to make a difference, defending the voiceless.

since joining moon and partners, kiha has focused on representing vulnerable clients in cases like class action lawsuits, tenant rights, and victim advocacy. he currently works as a junior partner and deputy lead in the pro bono division. still, but proving himself has not been easy. many in the firm see him as just another nepo baby. after all, starting his career as a partner at moon & partners was virtually unheard of. while he initially argued against it, his family pushed the decision to establish him as an equal and core part of the firm’s structure, who could not be questioned or undermined. it also ensured he would carry responsibility from the get go, rather than work quietly under the radar, something he would have preferred in order to prove himself on his own terms. despite his achievements, it often feels like he still hasn't done enough. in many ways, he’s still learning how to live life for himself rather than for others.

positives

empathetic, determined, tactful, independent, observant, playful, dependable, caring

neutral

introverted, teasing, perfectionist, competitive, emotionally guarded. an odd mix of naive and pessimistic

negatives

stubborn, bratty, can be extremely pushy, self-conscious, commitment-phobic, workaholic, disregards his wellbeing, entitled, holds onto resentment/unmet anger, emotionally avoidant deep down, yet somehow emotional and deep; avoiding his vulnerability with others.

general: steak, grain bowls, burgers, garlic and pepper stir-fried vegetables, pasta (especially cacio e pepe), meat skewers, kimchi jjim, natto, kalbi jjim, ice cream

fruits: peaches, apples, pineapples, and watermelons

vegetables: broccoli, arugula, baby tomatoes, mushrooms, beets, radish

soups: yukgaejang, doenjang jjigae, muguk

drinks: cold brews, americanos, whiskey, water, sparkling water, watermelon juice, kombucha, and cucumber lemonade

sweets: chocolate, gummies, sticky toffee pudding, ice cream

jjajangmyeon vs jjampong: jjajang anything

activities

concerts, playing the guitar, boxing, long drives, random subway rides without a destination, walking

places to visit 

his grandparent's home, london, rome, seville, busan, miami, los angeles, hawaii (no preference with island). anywhere close to an ocean with fresh food nearby

genre: comedy

relationship: a witness for kiha and his mentor's trial. 

that's what muse a screamed in front of the courthouse that morning. of all mornings, why did muse a choose today to smoke weed to chill out? and not just a little. more like smoke too much to the point where they were seeing all sorts of shit, including men literally falling from the sky.

they were supposed to be the star for kiha and his mentor's trial. months of prep torpedoed unless kiha can figure out a way to get muse a out of testifying today and keep the trial from completely unraveling.

relationship: former friends from summer camp

genre: drama, comedy, slice of life

preference: 29-33 years old. someone who went to fat camp with him.

kiha hates bringing up his past, especially when it involved the fact that he used to be a fat kid, or husky in his defense. some of his old nicknames used to include chins for days and kitubbie. no matter how hard he tried, the weight didn't come off until the summer before senior year.

his parents sent him to fat camp for a month, where he met muse a. while they became close friends there, things immediately changed when school started for the both of them. with the attention kiha was starting to receive for his looks, he didn’t want anyone to remember the way he looked before. this also meant cutting out everyone he met from that summer in fat camp. now that he has run into muse a in their apartment building, he’s trying to avoid them at all costs.

inspired by romy and michele

relationship: friends

genre: comedy and drama

preference: anyone between 29-30 that went to the same high school

“i didn’t even go to this school.”

“yes you did. stop trying to be all private. everyone remembers you. just come. there’s a lot of people who’d want to see you.”

kiha’s been hearing this on and off ever since his old high school announced its upcoming reunion. the first two attempts were cancelled “for unexpected reasons,” but now, with more classmates back in the city, it’s officially happening.

he doesn’t want to go. in fact, he swore he wouldn’t. however, muse a, his childhood friend with far too much school spirit, somehow convinces him. now here he is, flask hidden in his jacket, ready to face the phase of high school no one prepares you for: the reunions.

relationship: enemies?
preference: 29–31. someone he went to school with.

kiha wasn’t one to be jealous. at least, not often. but sometimes, he came across people who never had to fight for approval. people who were allowed to be average and still loved. people like muse a. he wouldn’t call it hatred, just a quiet resentment he kept buried whenever their paths crossed. even now, years later, there’s still tension between them. not loud, not obvious, but always there. he can’t figure out why, not completely.

on the other side, muse a always thought kiha had it easy. rich parents, good schools, connections everywhere. they never had to hustle the way muse a did, never had to earn their place. from the outside, kiha’s life looked perfectly paved.

they don’t talk much. when they do, it’s awkward. clipped. polite, on the surface. but under it all, there’s this feeling like they’re circling something they’ll never say out loud. maybe they’re not that different after all. maybe that’s what bothers them most.

genre: comedy most likely
inspired by legally blonde

it's 8:25 am. kiha's hungover as glitter is all over his body from a night's work of hard partying and celebrating with the firm. before he can even roll over to his phone, he hears frantic knocking from muse a at the door and his lovely roommate isn't answering.

"kiha, i know you're a lawyer, please. you and junseo are the only ones that can help. my ex took my dog back and said i'll never see her again-"

despite half of his words being mumbled and still coated in glitter, kiha miraclously throws on the closest hoodie and grabs his briefcase as he stumbles into the car. already on the car ride over, his head's against the window and he's deep asleep. however, he wakes up to the ex lovers screaming and a tiny dog yapping in the background.

muse a screams, "say something legal! you know what to do!"

before kiha can even blink, he's not sure if there's a fist swinging or throwing water his way. he's not sure which. he's still 70% asleep.

genre: comedy

it’s 12:05 am on saturday night and the laundromat is flooding with soap bubbles. how one might ask?

well kiha and muse a can’t give you a straight answer because it was definitely the other one’s fault. was it kiha attempting to wash his blankets for the first time alone? was it muse a, who used the same machine right after to wash an obscene amount of jeans? kiha might add, what weirdo uses the same washing machine right after as someone else when there are fourteen other machines available?

who knows at this rate, but the two are scrambling as the shop is about to flood in a sea of white and pink bubbles. by the way, who the hell started the pink bubble situation???

genre: slice of life

surviving mainly on coffee, spicy cheddar ruffles, and convenience store chicken breast, kiha’s barely had a sip of water in the past 36 hours. finally turning in all his major motions to the courts, he’s ready to crash in his bed or his couch, the moment he gets home.

just as he's a few feet away from the building, he falls to the ground and curls into a ball.

his foot is cramped from the coffee flowing through his dehydrated veins. he can barely stand, walking is nearly impossible. struggling to pull himself on the ground toward the building, he notices muse a a few feet behind him. will they drag his ass back to his place or leave him there?

relationship: a love-hate relationship in the legal field.

preference: a detective, prosecutor, fellow private lawyer, private investigator, or anyone working in the courthouse; even the bailiff.

"we're like tom and jerry."

"what are you talking about, kiha? tom and jerry hate each other!"

"tom and jerry love each other. they have so much fun! what show are you watching?!"

from the start of kiha's career, the two often clashed over their position, perspectives, and approaches to their cases. their debates are legendary in the field, with colleagues admitting that these same arguments take up most likely 60% of the pair's communication.

however, they bring the balances needed in the legal system. kiha might be zealous and flexible with the rules, but their mutual obsession with finding the truth is what justice is about. they might bicker like enemies, but they know deep down they can count on one another.

relationship: close partners/colleagues. deep mutual respect. vibes that resemble olivia benson and elliot stabler (law and order: svu), peggy carter and edwin jarvis (agent carter)
preference: a coworker in kiha's firm or a private investigator

kiha and muse a are the definition of work spouses. the two are in sync, whether it's from shared ideals, courtroom strategy, or the way they read each other with a glance. had it not been for kiha's fear of commitment, people probably would had joked that they were married to each other with how often they worked together. but it goes deeper than office banter and late night cases.

their partnership was only possible from their victories, failures, and struggles from the legal field. what they've built is one of great trust and mutual respect, rare for them to give to many people these days. they would take a bullet for one another, but more importantly they would make sure the other made it home safe and sound. however, only after debriefing over some good coffee and pastries brought by yours truly.

relationship: close friends (mainly over the phone)
inspired by: whatcha wearin’ / my ps partner

note: potential route with muse a never knowing it's actually kiha

muse a tried to call their ex to finally tell them off. drunker than a skunk, they fumbled the last digit and accidentally dialed kiha instead. already exhausted from a long day, kiha was about to hang up until he heard muse a wailing. realizing someone else was having an even worse night, he stayed on the line until they calmed down. something about the call stuck. it led to an odd friendship: one that never left the phone. the two have never met in person, but they share secrets, late-night thoughts, and chaos through texts, calls, and voice notes.

tw: anxiety

kiha is a high functioning anxious individual, but he would never openly or seriously admit this. instead, he tends to dismiss or rationalize his anxiety as stress, exhaustion, overwork, poor health, or lack of focus. typically his anxiety manifests physically long before he will emotionally or readily acknowledge it. during his more severe episodes, he will lock himself away from others or need a close friend right at his side. unfortunately, these episodes occur more often than he wants to admit. he struggles to address or cope with it.

physical manifestation

jaw clenching, insomnia, chest tightness, dissociation, stress eating, trembling hands, difficulty swallowing.

episodes

isolation, hiding in bathrooms, silence, dissociation, avoidance, and minimizing his moments. in the rare occasion, he will need someone by his side

relationship: kiha's personal secretary. an awkward, but strangely close relationship that somehow has dependence and trust.

preference: 32+

notes: someone who's competent and experienced. potentially someone who worked at moon & partners long before kiha joined the firm, perhaps as an assistant to other senior attorneys.

from the outside, most people would assume that muse a and kiha are strangers at best, at worst enemies. the pair resemble two students forced to work together on a science fair project. it's not that they don't speak. they do, sometimes even at length regarding kiha's cases, schedule, and politics at the firm or in their field. they're distant and also not.

it could be due to kiha's discomfort over having a personal secretary so this early in his career, unheard of amongst his peers and classmates. already insecure of the whispers surrounding his position in the firm, he knows his secretary is visible favoritism, nepotism, and privilege at its finest.

his family insisted him on the arrangement, not just to reinforce his status as one of the firm's partners. they recognize something kiha refuses to fully acknowledge: he overwrote himself and lacks basic self-preservation at times. to them, muse a is the support kiha needs to adequately function.

despite the awkward silences, muse a knows kiha's habits all too well. they notice his anxiety before others do, even covering for him quietly. they've spotted his trembling hands after a difficult meeting, his stress eating of gummy worms instead of dinner, and the long silences in his office.

maybe it's muse a's age, seniority, or familiarity with him, but kiha treats them with an unusual level of politeness and awkward gratitude. beneath the cool surface, the two have immense respect for one another as they navigate through the legal field and the internal politics behind moon & partners.