Since he would spend the rest of his day working— dancing, singing, performing, and greeting the fans with a big smile on his face despite the sleepless and tiring months he’s been enduring, Jaebum wanted at least an hour or two to be spared from his responsibilities as an idol. Not that he hates how his life is going, he actually enjoys what he’s doing. But everybody needs some time for themselves. Unfortunately, privacy was not an option for him. When he entered the idol industry, that was the same time that his private life went out of existence. Whatever he does and says, no matter where he is, gets publicized as if every action he takes is a big deal for everyone. All he could do now is to prevent this kind of occurrence from happening again. Pulling his hood over his head in attempt to hide his face, he’s holding onto his hope that this is fair enough for a disguise.
Jihoon’s unusual cold temperature completely went out Jaebum’s mind. The light pat that the other gave him, however, just made him remember and more curious. The older’s hand didn’t touch Jaebum’s skin directly this time but he could still feel the coldness through the cloth of his hoodie. Did he come out from a freezer or is he some kind of living corpse who escaped the morgue? More silly and random thoughts ran inside his head as he examined the man’s face. If the other had mind-reading capabilities, he would most likely think that Jaebum was the dumbest kid in the world for having such ideas; ideas that were too weird and far from being considered as creative. He just noticed though that the man looked ill as well. “Do you happen to be sick, hyung? You’re really cold and you look pale too.” He nods slightly, a bit of worry in his face.
"It’s perfectly fine. I’m no big star. I just debuted with my group a couple of months ago so I understand if you don’t recognize me." He lets out a soft chuckle. "But I do hope you’ll remember me from now on. Not as an idol nor as the weird stranger at the park, but just as an acquaintance of yours." Jaebum didn’t expect such words to come out of him. His mouth just kept on talking before he could even cease himself. Jihoon was indeed very cold, literally and metaphorically, but Jaebum still felt comfortable around him. Even if he asks himself why he feels that way, he doesn’t even know and he’ll probably never know.
{ ♚ } — He rolls his shoulders a bit lazily, reminding himself to engage in human actions. It is important to keep the perfect act alive after all, failure means complications that he doesn’t intend to face. Not like this, and definitely not at this moment. So he makes sure to move, to let his hues of lilac wander across open cityscape, a lot slower than he actually wanted it to as interlacing his own fingers, letting them go and adjusting his coat. Everything on perfect intervals, not too seldom, not too often. To avoid making it look as rehearsed as it actually is. For after over three hundred years of vampirism, of being a living dead, he has indeed been a bit detached from his humanity. Involuntarily and inevitably so. Leading Jihoon to stop trying to regain what he has lost; what has fallen from his shoulders. Slipped through his fingers like droplets of rainwater.
He only peers at the male beside him the moment his hand makes contact with a warm shoulder and as always he smiles. Because it’s something he does so effortlessly that one would probably think that he is indeed perfectly content — pleased with his existence. However, it is a false assumption. Beyond smiles and glistening hues lingers darkness so solid not even the strongest ray of sunlight would be able to penetrate the armor he has built up to protect himself from everything that the world has to offer. It is his safety, but it will forever and always, be his one and only downfall. But of course, these are yet another bunch of thoughts he doesn’t let surface when in company like this, smile kept wide and traces of dimples visible upon marble-like cheeks as he shakes his head. “ I am not sick. I just happen to have bad circulation and poor pigment. So no matter how much time I spend in the sun, I’ll remain as pale as a corpse. ” A lie, a perfectly executed one at that as well, followed by a sweet chuckle.
“ Ah, is that so? Well I wish you and your group luck then. The business is getting tougher, as far as I am aware, no?” He purses his lips for a moment, looking at the other for a moment before laughing again, nodding to acknowledge his wish. “ I will remember you as Jaebum, my acquaintance I met at the park? Good enough?” Jihoon tipped his head to the side, quirking a brow in question.