Morning Runs PV Lee Ye-jun Reopened Closed

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

Ye-jun was late. Well, not really…he didn’t actually have anything scheduled and yet it felt like he did. He would go for a run every morning ever since his first year at Beauxbatons and it had become a necessary part of his life here. The boy loved all kinds of sports but running was definitely his favourite. It helped him stay in shape and clear his head. For most part, he was okay doing so alone but this year that aspect of his morning routine changed when he started meeting another boy who would venture outside for the same purpose. It was a rare sight to see someone else exercising outside especially so early in the morning so he immediately took notice.

By now, Ye-jun knew his name was Raphael and he didn’t doubt the boy knew his. They were both third years so they bumped into each other often even outside their morning exercise. Ye-jun was also fairly popular so it would be weird to go unrecognized. Not that he was necessarily hanging out with the other kids but they seemed to naturally notice him whenever he entered the room. Whether it was due to his good looks, charm or newly built confidence, he was not sure but it was certainly a welcome change compared to his childhood struggles back in Chester. The struggles that were precisely the cause of his unwillingness to make friends. This unfortunately meant he would not approach his morning acquaintance either. Still, Ye-jun got used to his presence and unknowingly always made sure to come outside at the exact same time. The wizard usually stuck to the timing anyway but he wouldn’t be concerned if he was five minutes late in the past. That only seemingly started to matter to him now. They might have not run together intentionally but it was quite nice to do it with someone who shared his passion for once.

Sports and especially muggle sports were not very appreciated at Beauxbatons. The Korean boy wasn’t happy about said fact at first but he made peace with it eventually. He joined the theatre to keep appearances and he was good at it but that was about it. Sometimes he wondered why fate didn’t switch places for him and Eun-ji. She would thrive here, practicing ballet, she loved so much and he would probably find more buddies that enjoyed sports at Hogwarts. Well…it is what it is. Ye-jun was not going to be bitter about it now. He also didn’t have time to ponder about it. He was late. The letter to his cousin definitely had to be sent but it also caused a delay. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much. The two of them didn’t really run together as in together. Raphael surely wouldn’t mind Ye-jun not arriving on time, right? They never even talked before. There was a mutual understanding for sure but beyond that, none of them made any effort to communicate. Ye-jun didn’t mind but he had to admit he got curious from time to time.

With those thoughts and dressed in designer sportswear, the young wizard finally left the castle, already stretching as he walked towards his usual starting point. He was immediately proven wrong when he spotted Raphael still standing around. Oh… The boy was fully expecting to run alone today but that didn’t seem to be the case. Somehow, it made sense though. Ye-jun considered what he would do, had their places been swapped and he figured he might hesitate to go off on his own as well. “Morning.” The initial confusion did not register on his face. He sounded as confident as ever. Thankfully, others reassured him that he did not come across as obnoxious or arrogant. He worried about that at first but that was a thing of the past. It took a lot of time and effort to build himself up and he was not scared to show how comfortable he was in his own skin now. “Sorry, have you been waiting for me?” He asked as he started stretching his legs as well. “I had to send a letter.” He explained as a matter of fact. It was strange. He assumed it would feel awkward talking to the boy all of a sudden but it actually didn’t.

___ _________________________

___

RPing as Raphael Aveline

French | English

Raphael was just finishing his last stretch, resigning him to the fact that Ye-jun was not going to show and that he would be running alone this morning, when he heard steps approaching from the side, and then noticed the corresponding figure from the corners of his eyes.

"Morning," he returned the greeting, already turning slightly, ready to set off, then paused when he realised that this was not the end of the exchange. He frowned slightly, unsure. "Not... really." Well, wasn't this awkward. He shouldn't have waited, after all. "Just wasn't done stretching yet, and thought I'd see if you were coming around today."

A letter? That had to be sent this early in the morning? If Raph had been a little more curious, or a little more willing to pry into other people's personal affairs, he might have asked further. As it was, he didn't really care, and knew he wouldn't want Ye-jun prying if the positions had been reversed, so he just shrugged. "It's fine." The sliver of a smile appeared on his face, gone just as fast as he looked away, then down at his watch. "Guess we'll just have to go a little faster today, right?"

Frankly, he suspected that Ye-jun could easily outrun him if he wanted to, at least on long distances. He'd clearly been doing this for longer than Raphael had, who had just picked up running to supplement his training, and to make up for the missed time he would be spending on football if he was home. Had he been pacing himself to match Raphael's speed? He wasn't sure how he'd feel about that, although he had to admit that Ye-jun's presence usually made him push himself more than he would by himself.

If he was honest with himself, their runs, the companionable silence, had become something that Raph looked forward to. Which explained why he had, undoubtedly, decided to wait today.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt as Lee Ye-jun

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

“I see…fair enough.” Ye-jun nodded when the boy denied waiting for him. In all honesty, he was pretty certain that was a lie but he wasn’t about to call Raphael out. Ye-jun was not someone who enjoyed putting others in an uncomfortable position for his own amusement so he decided to let it slide. His running partner also didn’t ask any further questions about his excuse and the Korean boy was quite happy about that. While he was okay with revealing the cause of his delay, he didn’t feel like explaining everything that came with it. Raphael also didn’t have a reason to be interested in Eun-ji or their family history. They were not friends after all and he did not seem to be interested in much of anything as far as Ye-jun could see.

Still, it appeared the boy was not completely devoid of emotion as he gave him a little smile before suggesting they had to run faster to make up for lost time. It was incredibly brief but it was definitely there. “Oh, I can do faster.” A small cheeky smirk flashed on Ye-jun’s face upon hearing said suggestion. Because he could. He had been running for three years now and he did all sort of sports on the side so his stamina was pretty great. He would run marathons with his father and he would race his peers whenever the opportunity presented itself. “Can you keep up with me though?” He asked as he finished his stretching. Strangely enough, he didn’t sound arrogant as he said this. He was confident in his abilities for sure, but his intention was to figure out whether it would indeed be too much for the other boy or not. Ye-jun found no joy in bragging about his abilities. He was good at running not because he wanted to show off in front of people but because he genuinely enjoyed the activity.

The truth was, he would run a little slower once Raphael joined in but that was not a bad thing. He knew having experienced runner next to you when you started was incredibly important. Unconsciously the other person would often match the breathing and the speed with their partner, which was absolutely vital thing to figure out when you started running. It gave Ye-jun opportunity to truly relax and not push himself while also being helpful to someone else at the same time. He was not interested in interacting and actually offering to teach the newcomer but he was okay with providing some subconscious training and Raphael was a fast learner. He might have not even realised that he was learning something in the first place as he was pretty much natural. “Well…you seem to have some sport experience on you. You should be able to handle it.” The boy finally decided as he moved himself into a starting position. “Ready?”

Ye-jun actually doubted his partner in crime could indeed keep up the faster peace thorough the whole run. It was not something that could be achieved in one day but he could sneakily adjust the speed for Raphael without hurting his pride. He was good at that. His father taught him well.

___ _________________________

___

RPing as Raphael Aveline

French | English

Ye-jun didn't question the denial any further, and Raphael had to admit he felt a little relieved. Ye-jun was... pleasantly unobtrusive. He didn't insist on conversations or poking into Raph's business, and Raphael returned the favour. It was nice. They weren't friends, really, and neither of them felt the need to change that. It was easier this way.

It appeared that Ye-jun had caught onto the Raphael's mood, too, via the fleeting smile or the just slightly teasing note in his voice, which was as close to banter as he ever got, apart from a few exceptions. His sister could draw him out. Most people couldn't.

"I guess we'll have to find out," Raphael replied [[, something in him rising to the challenge. Sports could always do that, tickle out a site of him that rarely surfaced, one that pushed him to challenge himself, improve and beat his own records. Or those of others, he wouldn't mind that part either. "I'm ready." Another flash of a grin, a spark of excitement igniting in his stomach, and when Ye-jun set off, Raphael followed.

He still let the other boy set the pace, trusting in his superior experience, and that he would not decide on a speed that would be impossible for Raphael to match. While he had accepted the hint of a challenge, and felt curious about testing his own limits, that didn't mean he had to push himself further than was necessary, or possible. There was no pressure to impress, after all.

Raphael fell into a familiar silence, focusing on his steps and breathing while he got used to the faster pace, and it took a few minutes before he spoke again. Why, he did not know. They had already talked more today than they had on any of their previous runs, and Ye-jun's remark about Raphael's sport experience had not really called for an answer. "I play football," Raph noted. It was more than he usually shared without being pressed for it. So far his breathing was even, as were his words, but they had barely started. "Well, I'm a broom racer here. At home I play football." And on treasured occasions here, whenever Cassie was free, but that wasn't the same as having a team. There was just a hint of longing in his voice, barely audible at all.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt as Lee Ye-jun

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

Ye-jun mirrored Raphael’s smirk when he accepted the challenge. They weren’t having a deep conversation and he wasn’t sure whether they would even become friends in the future but this was kind of nice. He would be content with the things staying as they were and yet he also welcomed the light banter. “Alright then. Let’s go.” The boy said and they set off.

Indeed, setting a faster peace but within what he guessed was Raphael’s limit, the boy continued on their usual route. So far, his morning acquaintance seemed to do well but Ye-jun made sure to keep tabs on him so he could subtly slow down in case he got tired later. Very much aware of the learning process, Ye-jun didn’t want to push the boy beyond his own limits. “I play football,” Raphael revealed eventually. So I was right then. “Well, I'm a broom racer here. At home I play football.” The Korean boy nodded. He was not too interested in joining the Beauxbatons’ broom races but he was definitely watching from the sidelines. It could get quite entertaining and in any case, there were no other sport events to watch beyond that.

“I see, shame we don’t have a football team here, hmm? I quite enjoy playing as well.” He said somewhat wishfully. To be perfectly honest ice hockey would probably top football but he truly enjoyed both. Right now though, Ye-jun was just glad running was his favourite pastime because he could do so alone. He didn’t need anybody for that. Still, despite not having friends and not trying very hard to make some, he did miss team sports occasionally. When at home, he also joined his neighbourhood football team from time to time. They were not his friends either but they appreciated and respected him for his skills. Nevertheless, he guessed Raphael would have the upper hand on the field since it was obviously his area of expertise. He felt for the boy. It was highly unlikely that one would create a football team at Beauxbatons. Well at least he was able to become a part of another team here. Ye-jun was not sure how good of a substitute it was compared to his favourite activity but it must have helped a bit for sure.

___ _________________________

___

RPing as Raphael Aveline

French | English

Oh, Ye-jun was definitely holding back for Raphael's sake, giving him glances and adjusting his pace to make it possible for him to keep up, but Raph found that he didn't mind. It was a friendly detail, not a sacrifice or unduly going out of his way to accommodate Raphael. More a subtle nod, like Raph himself deciding to wait a few more minutes to see if his running companion would show up.

He enjoyed the challenge, he noticed with pleasure, pushing himself, testing, in contrast to the mild complacency he had found himself falling into over the last month or two.

When Ye-jun mentioned enjoying football, Raphael glanced over immediately, eyes brightening. Now that was one sure way to get his attention; and his response was likely more animated than what Ye-jun had ever heard from him. "You do? We could play some time, if you want. There's another girl I play with sometimes - Cassie, not sure if you know her - maybe you could come? Although we should find a fourth player then so we can go two on two."

The enthusiasm was noticeable in his voice and eyes, and threatened to throw off his pace before he refocused, consciously slowing his breathing. Playing with Cassie was fun, but to really play, they needed more than two people. "If you're interested, of course." Ye-jun seemed like the reserved type, maybe he wouldn't want to join them. Still, the eager edge was undeniably present in his voice.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt as Lee Ye-jun
Mentions @Lucia Fox as Cassie Heather McGregor-Martin

Violet in English, Red in Korean and Blue in French

Admittedly, it was somewhat nice to run with a company for once. Ye-jun knew he wouldn’t enjoy having a conversation like this every morning but once in a while might be nice. Raphael was still learning but he would catch up quickly for sure. He could already tell. The young wizard briefly wondered what their mornings would look like from now on. Would they go back to 'ignoring' each other, talk more or perhaps something in between? It was quite clear they both had a bit of a complicated personalities, which could make things tricky. Luckily, it appeared they found another mutual interest and his running partner visibly perked up, making the conversation flow more naturally. Ye-jun didn’t mind his excitement and while he did not mirror the boy’s expression, his own tone would grow considerably warmer the next time he spoke.

“Yes, I do like playing. I’m much better on ice to be honest but apparently I’m still a good addition to the football team so if you need an extra player, I'd be up for it..” It must have been obvious how intrigued he was by meeting a fellow student that enjoyed muggle sports as much as he did. It was not necessarily a common occurrence here. “Oh Cassie? Yeah I know her but we never really talked. I’d be happy to meet a fellow football enthusiast though.” He paused for a moment there. “I’ll keep an eye out for the fourth one but it’s probably not going to be easy. Not many Beauxbatons students seem to be interested in sports in general.” It was a wonder they even managed to put together the broom racing team. Sometimes he felt regretful that Eun-ji’s and his places couldn’t be switched. She would no doubt thrive here and he was pretty sure Hogwarts students would be more eager to indulge in muggle sports than his current classmates were. What a shame indeed…

___ _________________________

___

RPing as Raphael Aveline

French | English

Raphael brightened up visibly when Ye-jun confirmed that he enjoyed football. He'd come to this school a bit over two years ago thinking he would be completely alone with his hobby, unable to imagine that there would be other kids like him, that enjoyed physical activity over casting magic and being proper wizards, whatever that meant. Cassie had been a ray of sun in a cloudy day, and he was all too happy to add Ye-jun to his list of potential training partners.

"Hockey then?" he asked, curious. He'd never played, but it seemed like it might be fun, although with more contact than he usually preferred in his sports. "I'll keep that in mind. We play every now and then, not any set days. I'll let you know."

Ye-jun also seemed drawn by the prospect of meeting more sports enthusiasts, and Raphael thought that maybe the boy had been in a similar boat as he'd been, thinking himself alone with his hobbies. It was an interesting revelation; maybe he wasn't the only one feeling out of place at this school.

He shrugged when Ye-jun mentioned the lack of interest in sports that students around here seemed to have. "I was thinking the same before Cassie and I started playing. Now there's also you. Maybe there's more of us than I thought." It was a brightening thought. Not because he was yearning for more contact, but because the idea of perhaps getting enough people together to form small teams excited him. "Could ask around with the other broomracers..." Who would no doubt be astonished to hear him speak in the first place.

Raphael quickly fell silent again, his very limited energy for chatter used up, and focused back on the rhythm of his steps, his breathing. When they finished their usual route, they had made up for some of the time, and Raphael could feel a satisfying tiredness in his muscles. This had been good; he should be pushing himself more. Perhaps he'd ask Ye-jun to set their pace more often in the future.

He fell into a set of cool down stretches; back to his usual routine. If Ye-jun chose to join him, Raphael would give him a nod when he was done, ready to go his separate ways. "See you tomorrow." It was, after all, almost a tradition by now.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt as Lee Ye-jun
Thread left.