Finished Second Chances PV Jack Burnett

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

Now, that’s interesting. It seemed as if the two of them had much more in common than Ye-jun originally anticipated. He nodded thoughtfully as he listened to the other boy. Most things he agreed with and was grateful for the encouragement but he knew for a fact that having him around didn’t help Eun-ji at all. At least not at home. Here, she was always happy to see him but she was extremely cautious when it came to his summer visit to Chester. Still, he’d like to believe there were at least a few moments where having him around helped to some degree. “I sure hope so. I suppose all we can do is keep trying.” Because really, what else could they do?

“I see, then hyung is right.” The wizard nodded once they started establishing what they would call each other. It might have been a wasted effort should they not end up hanging out more in the future but he was willing to stay optimistic today. “Yeah they do…at least chatter-fox is somewhat original. Mine are mostly cringy.” He didn’t mind the question per se but saying them aloud felt incredibly awkward. “They just call me things like Asian prince, Pretty boy or Romeo…” he sighed. “You get the gist. They don’t really bother getting to know me. I'm convinced some of them don't even know my actual name.” To be fair, he didn’t make it easy for anyone to get to know him but that didn’t mean he had to be okay with it. “At least they usually don’t call me that to my face.” He shrugged eventually, more than ready to move on from that topic.

The next part of their conversation wasn’t necessarily much easier as it continued in the similar spirit but for what was worth, Jack seemed to be pretty understanding so it wasn’t too bad. “…Especially if said stranger is after you mostly because of your looks.” Ye-jun sighed once again. “Yeah…” he sounded somewhat resigned but made sure to keep a neutral face. He didn’t want to come across as someone, who felt sorry for himself for being…too good looking? It just sounded wrong even if the consequences were indeed causing him rather serious hardships. It was one of those things you just couldn’t say aloud without sounding like a self-centred twat. “It’s not such big deal though.” He added just in case. At times, it was a bit frustrating because there was so much more going on underneath. The trauma he carried from his childhood wasn’t a minor thing but he never talked about that with anyone. This meant he mostly came across as an extremely trouble-free person and he couldn’t really blame others for thinking so. After all, it was his decision to put up the confident and carefree front.

“Oh,” the Beauxbatons student echoed Jack’s words calmly but otherwise said nothing. He was waiting for him to process the information first. The conclusion he got wasn’t what he expected however. Raising his eyebrows curiously, Ye-jun leaned against the bookshelf. 'History of fashion in the Wizarding world' still in his hands but long forgotten. “Now that’s an interesting proposition, Burnett.” He said finally, feeling a bit guilty for not being more straightforward after seeing the other boy get all nervous about it. Asking someone out was never easy, even for him, but he did need at least two seconds to think about it. Not because he didn’t like the idea but because he wanted to consider his cousin’s feelings as well. Thankfully, he knew Eun-ji was someone, who judged people only after she got to know them herself. Even if she didn’t approve of what Jack did back then. She wouldn’t deem him a lost cause or get angry at Ye-jun for hanging out with him. “Well…I don’t see why not.” He smiled then, trying to make this more easy for the Slytherin. “Sound like fun actually.”

When Ye-jun said all they could do was keep trying, Jack nodded silently in agreement. Caring about people was hard, but it didn't mean giving up was an option. That was one of the things that made it so frustrating. At least he knew he wasn't alone in feeling that way, though, and that was comforting in its own right.

As the other fourth year student divulged some of the names he had been called, Jack indeed found himself having a hard time not cringing. They definitely sounded like the sort of things one would call someone if they were more interested in one's looks than who they were as a person. "Yeesh...that's rough. I don't envy you, mate. I wouldn't be interested in anyone who called me things like that, either." Sure, maybe they were supposed to be like compliments, but Jack had heard more insults that he would have preferred to be called than those names.

He hated to bug Ye-jun about the more negative aspects of his life, but part of Jack couldn't help find it fascinating that people actually had problems like Ye-jun did; at least when it came to his looks. Jack wondered why, if his good-looking appearances seemed to cause him so much grief, the Beauxbatons student put so much effort into maintaining them, but he didn't feel it was right to ask just then. It could be a discussion for another time. He had already probed quite a bit into the other teen's life for now.

Waiting patiently for Ye-jun's response, Jack did his best to seem casual about it. He didn't want his peer to think he was desperate or that he was interested in him just because of his looks either. He was annoyed enough with himself that he couldn't be more covert about his nerves when asking, but he couldn't bring himself to not care. He was really starting to take a liking to Ye-jun.

So when he was told Ye-jun found the proposition interesting, his grin grew broader until it seemed to reach from ear to ear. "Glad you think so," he answered when he was told it sounded like fun. Jack rubbed his hands together theatrically. "Because I plan on making sure you have fun." Perhaps it would be a challenge, but Jack enjoyed those, particularly when they tested his intellect. It would be fun enough for him getting to know more about Ye-jun and what he liked and didn't like in order to make the evening the best it could be for his new date. It certainly beat going alone, too. "I heard the theme this year had something to do with fairytales. Hope you like them; I know I do."

Ye-jun Lee (@Eun-ji Lee Hunt)

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

Ye-jun huffed in amusement. Yeah, that would have been a horrifying experience. He was happy to hear that Jack agreed with his opinion. The Beauxbatons student actually knew bunch of guys who would enjoy being called such nicknames, which was absolutely incomprehensible to him. To each their own I suppose. He did not intend to lose time trying to figure those out. Watching the boy in front of him grin sounded like a much better idea. Honestly, how did we even get here? Despite the rocky start, it seemed ridiculously easy talking to him.

“Well Burnett, you had my curiosity...but now you have my attention.” Ye-jun quoted a line from one of his favourite movies. The offer itself was nice enough, he honestly didn't expect Jack to make any extra effort. It felt good though. Ye-jun couldn't remember the last time somebody sincerely tried to do more than necessary for him. At least not without an ulterior motive. He mirrored the boy's grin as he listened to his question. “Oh I absolutely do. They are fun and there is always something to learn from them. What's not to like?” He paused for a moment, thinking about it some more. “In fact, I think some adults ought to re-read them.” Sadly, he could think of many such individuals. How disappointing.

No mater, this wasn't a moment to dwell on such sombre thoughts. He had just been asked for a date! Even if it was just a spontaneous action that probably didn’t mean much to the other boy, Ye-jun planned to take it seriously. “You have a favourite?” He hit Jack with a question of his own. Oftentimes favourite stories revealed a lot about one's personality. “Just out of curiosity of course. It's too late to change my outfit for the night...which is very generic by the way.” Since he assumed he would be going alone, the boy didn't really bother coordinating his attire or even coming up with something unique. He would most likely be just one of many royals tomorrow and he was honestly fine with that.

Already plotting ways they could spend the evening, Jack was pleased by Ye-jun's quote. He would definitely have to make it worth the Beauxbatons student's while. He was delighted to hear what Ye-jun thought of fairytales and nodded enthusiastically at the comment that they were fun and there was always something to learn from them. He also nodded at the thought that some adults ought to re-read them. "I know, right? It's ridiculous how much adults forget when they grow up."

When he was asked if he had a favorite, Jack glanced at the shelves of books and reached a hand up to subconsciously rub the back of his neck. "Well, I suppose it depends on what you consider 'fairytales'. Fantasy fiction, lessons to be learned, tales with actual fairies in them..." He chuckled, shrugging. "But either way, my favorite stories are the ones of tricksters. Puck the fairy, Reynard the Fox, Anansi the Spider, Coyote, Raven...it's hard to pick just one!" he laughed. "What about you? Do you have a favourite?"

When he heard Ye-jun say it was already too late to change his outfit for the night, Jack got bright red. He looked away, annoyed at himself that even just the insinuation that Ye-jun might have picked an outfit depending on Jack's tastes was enough to make him blush. He shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Oh, please. I'm sure you'll look good in anything you wear. One of the perks of being so attractive, I'm sure." He cleared his throat, wondering if that had been a rude or insensitive thing to say. Or, at the very least, something Ye-jun must have been tired of hearing. "Anyway, it's good that you already know what you're going to wear. I haven't even given a thought to it yet. I'll probably just find something in my closet last minute. Unless you had something in mind you wanted me to wear?"

Who knew? Maybe he could dress as someone from one of Ye-jun's favorite stories. Or even wear something to match him if he wanted to.

Ye-jun Lee (@Eun-ji Lee Hunt)

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

“Tricksters you say?”Interesting. “That does sound like a fun read. I’m pretty sure I read some of them but I don’t remember much to be perfectly honest.” Ye-jun wondered if the fairy tales indeed represented Jack’s personality to some degree. It was hard to say for now but he could see that being the case. The boy was quick with his witty replies. Now that he thought about it, his favourites did tell a lot about his own nature too. “Well…from the older ones, I suppose The Brave Little Tailor and Tom Thumb stuck with me the most. If we talk movies, then Mulan or Anastasia.” He was not going to pretend to be above the newer bunch. Those had great messages as well and they were fun to watch. Good songs too. His brain added. He supposed he liked the heroes that managed to prove themselves despite other people’s prejudices. For one reason or the other people didn’t think they were good enough and they proved them wrong. He could definitely sympathize with that and the amount of work it took to get there.

Ye-jun watched as the redhead blushed. Was it weird that he thought they could coordinate outfits had they had the time to do so? Did he cross a line? After all, this was a very spontaneous invitation. Perhaps Jack didn’t intend it to be taken so seriously. Then again, he might as well take his reaction as a compliment. The boy didn’t look uncomfortable…at least not in a bad way. “There are certain offences even a good face cannot save,” he waved the book, he originally picked up from the shelf in front of Jack’s face. Ye-jun chose to go with humour in order to avoid acting like a lovestruck high school girl. He was used to compliments but contrary to what one might think, not all compliments were the same. There were those that lacked sincerity and those he just accepted politely, others he still struggled to handle collectedly. This was definitely the latter.

“Yeah, I usually like to prepare my clothes in advance and if I don’t, my mother will do it for me.” Ye-jun paused for a moment as he realized, he sounded like a mama’s boy. He loved that woman but he was plenty independent, thank you very much. “She’s a designer. It’s mostly her that taught me how to dress and she still enjoys helping from time to time.” The Beauxbatons student clarified. He honestly didn’t mind her meddling in that area. She knew his style and had access to good quality clothes. She would also never force him to wear something he didn’t feel comfortable in. Unlike Eun-ji who didn’t have much choice when it came to clothes, he had great freedom in what he wanted to wear. “Also, being the visiting student definitely helps since there are only so many clothes I can bring. If I was from Hogwarts, I might also take my sweet time deciding what to wear.” It would have been useful for the date situation as well. Unless you had a date from your school or had someone you wrote with, you’d never get much chance to coordinate outfits in advance. “Don’t worry about it too much though. I’m going with the usual boring black and white combination. You wear whatever you like and feel comfortable in. I’m not a fashion police, I promise. I enjoy fashion personally but I don’t expect everybody else to feel the same way about it. There are more important things in life.”

“Tricksters you say? That does sound like a fun read. I’m pretty sure I read some of them but I don’t remember much to be perfectly honest.”

"Yeah, I don't blame you," Jack replied. "There are definitely a lot." He listened with interest to Ye-jun's favorite stories and was interested to know they included movies as well. "Wow. How come those ones, if you don't mind me asking? Other than - well, sounds like they all have pretty courageous protagonists." Perhaps that was a trait Ye-jun admired or tried to embody. Or both. It took a lot of courage to go against the expectations of society, after all.

When Ye-jun stated there were 'certain offenses even a good face could not save', Jack glanced at the book he waved and laughed aloud, shaking his head. Now he was really curious as to what Ye-jun planned to wear. He certainly didn't think it could have been as bad as he made it out to be.

Hearing that Ye-jun's mother was a designer, Jack thought that explained a lot. No wonder Ye-jun took such care of his appearance, especially if his mother was the sort to want to help him with it. It must have become something important to him from a young age. "A designer, huh? That's pretty amazing. No wonder you can't help looking so good all the time," he teased. "That makes sense about being a visiting student, though."

Jack thought black and white sounded nice on the Beauxbatons boy. Neutral and classic. And despite how nice Ye-jun seemed, Jack was glad for the extra assurance that he wasn't one of the fashion police because he had been starting to get self-conscious about what he was going to wear.

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed when the dark-haired boy stated that there were more important things in life than fashion. "But I'm surprised you enjoy fashion despite not liking to be judged by appearances. I would have thought someone like that wouldn't worry about appearances at all, especially if it gave them trouble to look as good as you do. Is it because you learned to like it from your mother?"

Ye-jun Lee (@Eun-ji Lee Hunt)

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

“Hmm…Yes, I like courageous characters but not in a way most people do. I think I tend to gravitate towards characters that are highly underestimated but manage to raise against all odds. Not because of their skill set but because they decide it’s time to stop listening to what other people say and eventually come to understand their own worth. The heroic actions are impressive but secondary...if that makes sense?” After all, humans were often their own worst enemy. It always seemed much easier to slay some beast or trick yourself out of a dangerous situation than to defeat your own demons. Ye-jun would know…

Jack laughed at his little joke and the Beauxbatons student thought the sound rather lovely. He liked listening to other people laugh; he just didn’t often find himself in the position to do so. “Actually, contrary to popular belief, she doesn’t expect me to look sharp all the time. She is happy that I do but she didn’t mind during the time where I couldn’t care less about designer clothes. The only time I have to represent is during work events. Luckily for her, we obviously have the same genes after all and I do it willingly.” He wasn’t actually sure that was the case. He had fun with fashion now but it wasn’t out of interest in the craft that he started taking such good care of his appearance. Even his mother didn’t know that however and there was no point in telling her now when it actually became one of his hobbies. “It does require me to wake up earlier though, which is the ultimate price I have to pay.” He sighed dramatically.

While on the topic of fashion, the other boy seemed a bit confused. Rightfully so, considering Ye-jun’s previous words. “That is a fair question but also one that I won't be answering today.” Ye-jun was someone who believed letting others know your boundaries was incredibly important. Sometimes he could come across as cold when he did so but he made extra sure not to do that this time. He didn't fault the Slytherin for asking. Jack didn't know about his past and couldn't know the clothes intertwined with something far more sinister. He didn’t know he used to bring spare old clothing to school so his mother wouldn't wonder why the new ones got destroyed on almost daily basis. He didn't know how he kept looking over his shoulder every time Eun-ji wasn't with him or the nightmares that plagued his sleep every night. Sometimes, those still paid a visit occasionally despite it all being in the past and despite him knowing he was strong enough to defend himself now. Obsessively taking care of his appearance was a first step towards a better future and only turned into hindrance once his face morphed into something worth looking at too. It wasn't easy to explain without telling the whole story however and it was not a story Ye-jun often told. In fact, most people in his life didn’t know.

Smiling, the wizard did his best to look unbothered. The smile probably didn’t quite reach his eyes this time but that was okay. As long as he didn’t look sad…Ye-jun didn’t do sad in front of others. “How about I tell you next time? I’m afraid this one’s harder to explain than it should be.” It was not a conversation for today or even tomorrow. He didn’t intend to poke at his own wounds in front of someone he just met. Perhaps if they became closer but only time would tell if that was going to happen. “The simplest part of it all however, is that I do indeed enjoy the art of fashion. It would feel strange at this point to let it all go.” He shrugged eventually. It was not a full answer to his question but at least he gave him something. Hopefully that counts.

"Oh...so you like underdogs, huh?" he commented, thinking about what Ye-jun meant. "'Impressive but secondary'...yeah, I think that makes sense. It's their journey of development that makes them a character worth admiring to you, not what they ultimately become or do. They have to overcome their inner conflict. Interesting." Jack thought he could certainly see why Ye-jun would like those sorts of characters best.

When the other teen mentioned that his mother didn't expect him to look sharp all the time, the Welsh boy's thick brows rose, surprised. It sounded like Ye-jun and his mother got along pretty well. For the most part, at least. "Not a morning person?" he asked, amused at the dramatic sigh.

Upon being told his question was fair but that it wasn't going to be answered today, Jack nodded in acceptance. He scratched the back of his neck, wondering if he had been a bit too nosy with his questions. After all, the question about why Ye-jun cared so much about his appearances had been something he had planned to ask another time, but it seemed he couldn't help himself. Still, he had already gotten to learn a lot about the other young wizard and he was grateful for it.

Ye-jun's offer to tell Jack next time made the redhead feel a little better about worrying that he was being too intrusive. However, he wanted to make sure he didn't cross any lines even unwittingly. "I'd like that, but there's no need to explain if you don't feel like it. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything, so if I ever say or do anything that even comes close to that, just let me know and I'll knock it off."

He nodded again, this time in acknowledgement, when the dark-haired boy explained that the most basic answer was that he did indeed enjoy the art of fashion. It was good to know.

Ye-jun Lee (@Eun-ji Lee Hunt)

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

Ye-jun nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah...that sounds about right.” He did like the underdogs. It was also nice to see that Jack paid attention to his ramblings and was able make sense of it all. It showed that he actually cared enough to listen, which was not always the case with people. This was nice. The boy was glad he gave Jack a second chance.

“Not a morning person?” Ye-jun chuckled at that. “No not really although it is a bit bizarre, considering how much I enjoy my morning runs. I guess the peaceful surroundings are worth the effort.” It did pain him to get up that early but he ran to clear his head, which would be difficult once the school grounds filled with people. He did have a running companion now but they mostly did so in silence so he was okay with that. Thankfully, while he didn’t like waking up early, the Beauxbatons student had a great discipline and was able to stick with his schedule at all times. Also something that run in the family.

Ye-jun watched as Jack processed what he said. It did make him a bit uncomfortable but that was a common reaction. Nobody enjoyed making mistakes even if it was unintentional. “Don’t worry about it. You couldn’t have known. I usually let people know whenever I’m not willing to give a certain information. I hope you will do the same. I’d rather be told off then cause you any unnecessary distress.” Saying no was completely okay with Ye-jun. He didn’t like when someone took it as an opportunity to be a jerk though. “Ah…I almost forgot.” The boy suddenly remembered something important. Unrelated to the previous topic but important nonetheless. “Do you like to dance? There is no wrong answer by the way.” He said with a smile.

"Oh, so you go for morning runs like Flash. That's cool. Maybe I should start doing that too," Jack pondered aloud. "Haha, that is pretty ironic, though. I guess the hardest part is getting out of that nice, warm bed." He could see the appeal for people who needed peace and quiet to clear their heads, but maybe he could have benefitted from the same conditions as well. He hadn't experienced them in a long time, so he had forgotten what it was like. It also probably wouldn't have hurt to have gotten some more exercise and fresh air when he spent the majority of his time doing homework and reading and practicing spells indoors all day.

He appreciated when Ye-jun told him not to worry about his having made a mistake, smiling and nodding in understanding. The Beauxbatons really was a nice guy; considerate and caring but not overly so. "Thanks. But I doubt you'll need to worry about that. Not many people can cause me 'unnecessary distress'," he chuckled.

Blinking when his conversation partner mentioned he almost forgot something, Jack was surprised to be asked if he liked to dance. Mirroring Ye-jun's smile, he thought about his answer a moment before responding. "Yeah, I like to dance. I'm not very good at it, mind you, and it's not like I've had any lessons, but I like to learn if someone has the patience to guide me through it. I think I've figured out the basic '1-2-3' waltz, but pretty much everything else I'm clueless about. How come? Do you like dancing? Had lessons?"

Ye-jun Lee (@Eun-ji Lee Hunt)