Chapter Text
Apricity
The warmth of the sun in winter
"Apricity refers to the warmth of the sun, especially during winter.
It captures that delightful feeling of basking in sunlight on a cold day,
evoking a sense of comfort and coziness.”
☼☽⋆｡°✧ Chapter 1 ✧⋆°｡☾☼
Bang Chan
Chan adjusts his scarf, bracing himself against the winter storm, unaware that the biggest challenge this week isn’t the press event he is attending, but finding warmth in the heart of a village that will turn into a frozen, snow-covered area in the next forty-eight hours.
He steps inside the hotel, shaking his head to get the snowflakes out of his hair, and walks over to the desk, closely folloed by two men who carry his luggage.
He sighs when he sees a line at the check-in desk. One of his bad habits is being impatient, especially after an exhausting day.
Today, he had his last physical check-up and intense workouts and training before rushing to the taxi that would take him across the country for Football Fever Korea’s press event, the biggest online football magazine in the country.
His management has expressed how beneficial this might be for his career, giving him more press during winter break, and Chan didn’t think twice about accepting the offer. If his name is out there more often, not just fans but also important clubs and scouts will hear it, which might lead to a possible transfer during the summer. He will do anything to achieve his dream of being transferred to a European football club, even if that includes a press event he doesn’t look forward to, but who knows, he might get surprised.
A hotel staff gestures for Chan to take a seat in the lobby, apologizes for the wait, and promises to notify him when he can check in.
“I'm a huge fan! Congratulations on your last match!” the staff member says, bowing before receiving a grateful smile from Chan. After a brief moment, the staff member departs, leaving Chan to sit in one of the cozy seating areas in the lobby. He pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to his assistant—someone who frequently lends a hand during press events like this.
The man who carried his luggage in asks is it's okay to leave his suitcases besides him as he waits. Chan nods. As his assistant isn't here to take care of the logistics, he can carry Chan's luggage to his room himself. Sounds like a fair punishment for making Chan wait.
He puts his phone away and sighs heavily, looking around the hotel lobby. It is a beautiful, fancy hotel, he must admit that, but it’s decorated with awful Christmas decorations. Many might disagree with him, finding the decorations festive and beautiful, but Chan doesn’t like Christmas. It’s too happy and cheery and, most of all, overrated. His eyes roam over the grand, towering Christmas tree standing in the center of the lobby, its branches adorned with glistening ornaments in cold shades of blue and silver. Chan thinks the blue color has a beautiful deep hue to it, but that’s about it.
Around the lobby, garlands of evergreen leaves, holly and mistletoe are draped over doorways and any surface possible. The leaves are dusted with artificial snow, which matches the weather outside.
When he carefully listens to the calm piano music that is a soft hum in the background, he has enough. It’s fucking Christmas music too. Why does the world go wild when it’s Christmas? What’s the big deal about it? Isn’t Christmas just a dull haze of “must visit and see your family,” of family fights and gaining weight because of the endless poorly cooked meals?
His phone beeps, shaking him out of his Scrooge moment. He opens his messages.
Seo Changbin:
I’m sorry. I’m not your assistant during this event
They assigned you someone else
“Bang Chan, there you are,” a man exclaims.
A young man, somewhere around his own age, walks toward him. He wears fashionable clothes in clashing colors and has chestnut-brown hair that is nonchalantly styled. His face looks slightly flushed and sweaty. He must have run down here.
“I’m sorry I had you waiting, sir,” the man says, bowing to him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Who are you?” Chan asks, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion and a wary look on his face.
“I’m Yang Jeongin. I’ll be your personal assistant for the next couple of days, ensuring everything runs smoothly.”
“Where’s Changbin?”
“Ah, Mr. Seo couldn’t make it. He is assigned to Han Jisung, joining him in Europe.”
“Yes, Jisung is signing a deal in the United Kingdom,” he grumbles, almost adding you don’t have to rub it in.
“Exactly. So I’m at your service. It’s nice to meet you, sir. You’re a phenomenal football player.”
“Thank you, and please call me Chan. Sir makes me feel old.”
“Okay. Noted.” The man smiles. “You can call me Jeongin.”
“Do you have my key? If you’ve arrived before me, I assume you have already checked in on my behalf?”
Yang Jeongin’s face turns bright red and bashful, and Chan groans. This trip is off to a great start…
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
The hotel room is nice. It is spacious and luxurious, with a beautiful view of the nature surrounding it. The first thing he does is put his suitcases out of sight in the oversized closets, unbothered to unpack since he won’t stay here longer than a few days anyway. He never uses the closets when leaving the city or country for events or football matches, knowing that he will leave soon anyway. Instead of unpacking, he uses the time to take a shower and let the warm water relax his sore muscles. Lately, his shoulder has been acting up after an old injury. The physiotherapists of FC Seoul, the club he plays for, treat him well and advise him to relax his muscles in warm water whenever he can. Chan doesn’t mind that, loving the effect a shower has on him. Showering after a match changes his mindset and takes away the adrenaline that rushes through him after a win. And if the game ended up in a loss, it takes away the built-up frustration. To him, showering or bathing is the moment his brain calms down, almost like a reset.
After the shower, he gets ready to meet with Yang Jeongin and a representative of Football Fever Korea to discuss the schedule for the next few days. They meet in a small meeting room in the hotel, and a female representative takes a stack of papers out of her bag.
Chan is glad to be able to focus on the paper. He hates how overly decorated the small room is, garlands and holly draped over everything, with no exception for the frames hanging on the walls. The colors of the garlands and the gold and red ornaments clash with the blue and grey hues of the photos of cold and depressing beaches that usually adorn the professional meeting room.
“As you can see, we have a busy schedule,” the woman starts, pushing her silky black hair behind her ear as she points at the dates on the schedule that lies on the coffee table between them. “Tomorrow, we start with an individual photoshoot. The duo photoshoot immediately follows that, and later that day we’ll record a video segment with you and Mister Hwang. The information on that segment is written in the script. On day two, we would-”
“What?” Chan interrupts her.
The woman stills, and her eyes tear from the paper. She is looking up at Chan with big eyes. “Is something wrong, sir?”
“What duo interview? And who is Mister Hwang?”
The woman’s eyes become surprised. “You mean Hwang Hyunjin?”
“Who?” he asks again. “Is that a child? An upcoming football star?”
“No,” she shakes her head, still with that baffled look on her face as her eyes dart between Chan and Yang Jeongin.
“Then who is he? Am I not here because I was chosen as the most popular Korean football player of the year? I don’t know who this man is. I assume he’s not a football player since I don’t know him.”
"Yes, that’s exactly why you’re here," the woman replies with a nod. "We’re going to create an entire issue and online content featuring the most popular players of the year, just like every other year.”
“So, who is that Hwang Hyunjin guy then? I won the prize. Is there another category I don’t know about? Have you added a new sport to your genre?” he asks, confused and unafraid to speak up. The magazine is called Football Fever Korea, but he is pretty sure that man is not a football player. He knows all of them in this country. At least all those in the K-league, plus upcoming talents in lower leagues. And if he doesn’t know them in person, he at least knows them by name. Considering the name of the magazine, it would be a bit strange to add a new sport, but it’s the only explanation he can think of.
“We changed things up this year. We have two categories, unlike other years. Category one is the most popular fan-voted athlete. The other is the e-sports athlete.”
Chan’s eyes widen and an uncomfortable silence grows heavy in the room. “As in, he is a gamer?”
“Yes. He’s an e-football player.”
“And he’s going to get a small section in the magazine or will only join me during one of the events?”
“No,” the woman starts reluctantly, her eyes growing wary. “You’ll be on the cover together and you’ll get an equal amount of individual and duo content.”
Chan feels a horrendous amount of hostility and disbelief. Are they really going to give someone who just pushes buttons on a controller the same amount of press he is getting? The guy is a gamer. That is nothing compared to what he does.
“An e-football player? What does he even play?” he asks, while it’s a rhetorical question. He already knows the answer.
"FIFA. He's currently the top player in our country, having clinched first place last year. He also competes in global tournaments. People love him.’
Chan crosses his arms in front of his chest offensively. “I don't know him.”
The woman smiles at him, and it’s the kind that makes Chan pissed off—derogatory and condescending. “Then this is a great opportunity to get to know him.”
A weight presses on Chan’s chest, brimming with defensiveness and resentment. They misinformed him and failed to be transparent about their offer and the event’s true nature. Had he known, he might have chosen differently.
“Why do you need to change things up? It was great as it was,” he asks, trying to keep his voice steady and calm, but failing. “Why change things when it’s unnecessary? Your magazine is one of the most popular ones in this country. You don’t need a change.”
“While I’m not the one responsible for this change, I can inform you that this is what our fans wanted,” the woman explains. “They asked, so we deliver.”
Chan cocks his head. “Well, they also voted for me, didn't they?”
The woman looks at Jeongin, her eyes darting between the two men. The tension in the air is almost palpable.
Chan wants to back out and say that it is unfair he has to share the spotlight with someone that only pushes a few buttons on a controller while he worked his ass off every single day of his life to become a professional football player. The gamer watches a screen and sends the players in a direction with just the push of a thumb. Chan is the actual football player gamers pretend to be, and it takes much more than just his thumb to do what he does. Chan knows he is being unkind and an asshole, but the magazine started this whole thing by not informing him. The situation feels unfair and he feels cornered. So fuck it if he’s feeling pity for himself and acts like a kid. He didn’t ask for this.
“I see that you weren’t briefed on this issue. Unfortunately, I'm not the right person to address it to, as I'm only here to inform you about the schedule. However, I can set up a meeting with someone who has all the necessary information to assist you. Would you prefer that, sir, or would you like to continue discussing the schedule for now?”
“We can continue,” Jeongin says, at the same time as Chan says: “I want a meeting.”
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
Chan sits in the corner of the meeting room, his jaw clenched and fists balled at his sides. He glances at his watch, wishing he could rewind time. This isn’t what he signed up for—his manager had assured him this would be his chance to get more press, which would benefit his career. No one mentioned to him that he had to share the spotlight for the first time in the history of Football Fever Korea’s yearly main event. Everyone in the country, and even outside where they could read the translated interviews and content with subtitles, the fan-voted most popular football player is a happening people look forward to. If Chan had won a year ago, he would have gotten a whole issue about just him, and created more content than his fan’s heart could desire. Now he has to share it…
It’s not that Chan doesn’t want to share. He wouldn’t have minded it if he knew and if he wasn’t the first football player this happened to.
His mind races with thoughts of what this might look like to his peers.
“He isn’t interesting enough to get a whole issue.
“He needs someone else to fill the pages.”
“If he was popular enough, they wouldn’t need to put someone next to him.”
“He’s bad at press, so he needs another guy to help him out.”
But there’s not much he can do about it now, sitting in the meeting room where two representatives of Football Fever Korea are talking with Jeongin and two employees from FC Seoul via a conference call. Backing out will send the message to the world that he either can’t handle the pressure or is too selfish and arrogant to share the spotlight. His manager told him on a phone call minutes before this meeting that nothing but bad press will come from this if he backs out now that the event’s start is less than twelve hours away. He is already at the location, so he should do it if he wants to keep a positive image.
Plus, his manager added that he has nothing more important to do anyway. What a great stab below the belt to mention he doesn’t have any current offers to transfer to other clubs, while some of his other teammates have.
He takes a deep breath as Jeongin takes care of the situation. He must admit that the man does his job well, shows professionalism, and is much more flexible than Chan is currently.
“So, we discussed everything by now. Do you have any more questions, Mister Bang?” A representative of the magazine asks, the man’s old wrinkles forming a frown. Chan already forgot what his position at the magazine is.
“No.”
“So the air is cleared and we will continue the event as planned?” he asks.
Jeongin turns his head to look at Chan and raises his eyebrows, throwing him a look that he should agree, but Chan also sees a nervous look in there, wary of the words that might come out of Chan’s mouth.
Chan takes a deep breath and forces a smile. “Yes, we will. Thank you for taking the time to meet me and explain the nature of this event.”
The man claps in his hands, pleased, and looks at his peer. “Great. We’re back on.”
Both men get off the chair, revealing their formal suits. Apparently, their female coworker who showed Chan the schedule, immediately noticed the importance of Chan’s words and what this might mean for their planned event. She went to get the suits to meet Chan, and it worked…
Chan gets up too and shakes their hands. He is trapped in a sea of discontent but puts on a brave face while wishing he were elsewhere. Then he remembers his manager’s words. He doesn’t have anywhere better to be anyway.
Chan and Jeongin walk away in silence, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floor of the lobby. The tension hangs heavy in the air as they cross the lobby and head toward the elevator. Chan sighs as they step in and the door closes behind them. He watches Jeongin press the button to their level and feels the elevator come to life.
Chan’s fingers twitch nervously at his sides as he wrestles with his thoughts, unsure if he should say something. And if yes, then what words should leave his mouth? He doesn’t want to look ungrateful or arrogant. He is here because it’s good for his career, but now that it might have the opposite result, he is confused.
He sees Jeongin fidget with the hem of his dress shirt from the corner of his eyes, stealing glances at Chan. He is nervous, and Chan can’t blame him. Chan hasn’t made Jeongin’s first day on the job easy.
“Thanks,” he mumbles to Jeongin, hoping it comes out well and doesn’t show his nerves.
The man looks up at him. He tries to hide his surprise, but Chan can see how his pupils dilate slightly.
“For… well, what you did today,” he adds, unsure how to mention it.
“That’s just my job, sir,” Jeongin replies. “No need to thank me.”
“But you took care of the matter professionally and quickly while you don’t even know me. That deserves a thank you.”
“Well, I do know you,” Jeongin smiles friendly. “Everyone does, but you’re welcome. Do you have any questions or uncertainties?”
“Questions, no. Uncertainties, a lot. But you heard my manager, I should get over it.”
Jeongin’s smile falters. “I’m sorry. He should’ve worded that differently.”
Chan shrugs, his mouth forming a thin line. “I’m used to it. This is the football world. There’s no time for emotions or sugarcoating things.”
The door opens and the ping that announces their arrival echoes in the small room. Chan walks out, pretending not to see the pity on Jeongin’s face. He knows his manager is shitty as fuck. He doesn’t need other’s confirmation to know that. It’ll only rub more salt in his wounds.
“Have a good night, sir,” Jeongin calls after him. “See you tomorrow at seven.”
“Just Chan, please,” he says, followed by a mumbled: “Good night,” as sadness washes over him.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
The following day, Jeongin waits for him outside his hotel room. He greets him cheerfully and asks if he has slept well.
“Sure,” Chan lies, not ready to tell the man that he laid awake until four in the morning, overthinking. “You too?”
“Definitely. This bed is so soft, as if I was sleeping on clouds. And the pillow is-” Jeongin chatters happily, continuing to tell Chan all about the fantastic quality of the furniture in his hotel room, as if Chan isn’t staying in the same hotel.
They take the elevator down and make their way to the location of their first appointment on the schedule.
The meeting room has been transformed into a functional temporary photo studio. The space, usually reserved for corporate meetings, has been stripped of its tables and chairs and filled with studio equipment.
Lighting equipment and the camera setup is strategically placed around a backdrop stretched across one end of the room. Chan sees the typical white backdrop but has to suppress a groan when he notices the seasonal ones, with deep reds, greens and golds, ready to get rolled out during the photoshoot.
A small Christmas tree is set up on the side of the backdrop, decked out with red and golden ornaments. Chan doesn’t like ornaments too much, but these look pretty. The tree is decorated with class. It’s not too bad.
Many people are working in the spacious room, but the stylists grab his attention. A woman immediately walks toward him and greets him with a broad smile. She then takes him to the styling station. After the first polite greetings, she explains her plans.
“Eunchae will care for your hair while I put on some makeup. Don’t worry, it’ll look natural. No one will even notice you are wearing anything. It’s just to even out your skin tone and accentuate your strong features, like your sharp jawline and prominent cheekbones. Is that okay with you?”
Chan nods. “Of course. You’re the professional here, so I trust you.”
The woman beams at the compliment, her body language showing her excitement. “Thank you. You’re very kind, sir.”
“Just call me Chan,” he smiles. “Sir makes me feel old.”
“And you’re definitely not old, so I’ll call you Chan then,” she replies with a wink as she beckons the hairdresser Chan assumes is named Eunchae.
With a bitter feeling, Chan thinks about his career. It’s sweet that this stylist thinks he’s young, but in the football world, he isn’t anymore. With every passing month, his chances of transferring to a European club are lower. He loves being a football player but is gradually moving to his limit. There are no professional football players at age forty. In the beginning of your thirties, it already slowly goes downhill, and your body and play get weaker instead of stronger. While he has yet to hit thirty, he knows he only has a few years left before European clubs stop wanting him.
He looks at the woman, who must be around her mid-thirties, as she ruffles through her foundation collection, trying to see which one matches Chan’s skin tone.
“What’s your name?” He asks.
The woman turns around, slightly surprised. “My name is Chaewon,” then she smiles. “Please call me by that name so you won’t make me feel old either.”
Chan snorts. “I’ll remember that.”
Chaewon does an excellent job. She compliments him on his even, flawless skin but still manages to make him look prettier than he has ever felt. Meanwhile, her coworker works her magic on his hair. It has a slight volume at the roots, is parted, and is swept to the sides, showing his forehead.
“You look amazing,” Chaewon smiles. “Are you satisfied with the result?”
“Very much. Thank you for doing a great job.”
Chaewon waves her hand at him. “That’s easy with a beautiful face like yours.”
Chan blushes and is glad that he is wearing foundation so it doesn’t show. He turns his head to look for Jeongin. He finds him at a worktable that is covered in notebooks and prints. He is currently nodding while listening to a woman. Jeongin turns his head and catches Chan’s gaze, who beckons him.
“What do you think?” he asks the assistant.
“Flawless,” Jeongin smiles. “I just saw what they have planned for the shoots and what they want the cover and magazine to be like. It’s going to be great. If you’re ready, then you can go to the styling. You’ll start with a beautiful Armani suit. It’ll look great on you.”
Jeongin is right. When Chan looks at himself in the mirror, he can’t help but adore the look. The burgundy-colored suit works wonders with his skin tone. He barely recognizes himself as he twirls around.
“Are you ready?” Chaewon asks, gesturing to the photographer. “They’re waiting for you. Eunchae and I will be around to tuck your hair in place or touch up your makeup during the shoot.”
“Perfect,” he smiles. “Yes, let’s go.”
He politely greets the photographer, a middle-aged man with a friendly expression evening out his wrinkles, and gets in place.
An assistant fills him in on the assignment: full body shots first, with and without the Christmas tree, and portraits after.
With all eyes on him, he starts to feel nervous. It’s nothing compared to the number of eyes from their fans in the football stadium, yet the attention in this small room makes him nervous.
He awkwardly stands before the camera, spotlights and softboxes directed at him. Luckily, the photographer catches his nerves and smiles.
“Don’t worry. I’ll guide you. Start by the tree. My assistant will hand you an ornament you can pretend to hang on the tree.”
Chan gladly follows the instructions, and fifteen minutes and many poses later, the tree is pulled away.
Chaewon and Eunchae rush over to work their magic.
“You’re doing great,” Chaewon smiles as she powders his nose again. “You sure you’re not a model in your spare time?”
“I’m sure,” he smirks. “But I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing. The photos might be rubbish.”
Eunchae moves away, looking pleased with Chan’s hair, and Chaewon smiles at him. “Well, continue being clueless then because it looks amazing.”
She turns her head and looks at the man who enters the room.
A young man, probably around Chan’s age, walks through the doorway and catches Chan’s attention. He is tall and has pitch-black hair, which is a little wavy at the ends. It’s parted and falls casually over his ears. The man is wearing baggy, ripped jeans and an oversized T-shirt, showing a sleeve of tattoos. Even through the oversized clothes, it is clear that the man has a lean and muscular build. Even from this distance, Chan can see that the man is handsome and very attractive, with intense and almost fox-like eyes and a friendly smile.
He doesn’t know who this man is, but he badly wants to.
“Ah, there’s Hwang Hyunjin,” Chaewon announces. “I’ll work on his make-up while you’re shooting the rest, but no worries, I’ll be here to touch up your makeup before portraits.”
Chan freezes. That is the gamer he is supposed to share the spotlight with? What the hell? He’ll look bland as fuck next to a man like that. Why did no one tell him he looked this cool instead of the classic gamer type he made up in his head? Not that he thinks anything is wrong with that, but a heads-up would’ve been nice.
“Sir, are you ready?” the photographer asks, waving to grasp his attention.
Chan’s eyes are being ripped off his opponent—because that is what the man is to him. The gamer is the one he has to share the spotlight with and the reason he might get criticized.
Much time to think about it is a luxury Chan doesn’t have. The photoshoot continues and he starts to feel more comfortable being in front of the camera as time passes.
It’s close to the end of his individual photoshoot when he gets distracted again.
The photographer’s assistant is currently holding a reflection screen close to him to get the light to reflect on Chan’s face. If the photographer’s comments are any indication, he thinks he is doing a pretty good job at this point.
“Yes, perfect. Look to the right. Wow, yes. Keep doing that. Perfect! Can you turn your head slightly? But keep your eyes on me. Amazing. You’re a natural.”
Chan even goes as far as saying he starts to like it. That is until he sees someone standing near one of the big screens, looking at the photos the photographer is taking.
Chan’s jaw clenches when he sees Hwang Hyunjin point at the screen while talking to one of the stylists. He can’t see the man’s face, but at one point, he hears him laugh as he points at the screen, and Chan’s expression turns mad instantly.
Does this guy have the nerve to laugh at his photos? Who the fuck does this man think he is?
His reaction must be showing in the photos because suddenly, the stylist and the gamer stop laughing and turn their heads to look at him.
Chan sends them a daring glare. The stylist quickly turns around, but Hyunjin doesn’t back away. He doesn’t look mad or provocative either, just… curious?
The photographer lowers his camera. “Ah, I see you noticed our other star. Have you guys met before?”
“No,” Chan says curtly.
“I think we have enough portraits of you. You can go meet him. We’ll take a small ten-minute break in which you can change clothes, then we’ll continue with the duo shoot,” the photographer announces.
Jeongin walks toward him, followed by the stylist who gave him his suit earlier.
“Let’s get changed. I have the perfect cozy outfit ready for you,” the man chirps excitedly.
Chan changes into the new outfit—green-washed jeans and a Christmas-green knitted sweater. He feels eyes on him as he removes his suit jacket and dress shirt, wearing a formfitting tank top underneath. He turns his head, only to catch the gamer’s eyes, who turns his head away faster than the speed of light. What is this man’s problem?
The stylist claps his hands when Chan wears the complete outfit. “Fabulous! Let me add a few accessories and then you’re done.”
Jeongin, who was watching him from a distance so far, takes a step closer to whisper into Chan’s ear.
“Go meet Hwang Hyunjin once you’re done. He’s waiting behind you very politely and people start to notice you’re ignoring him.”
“I’m not ignoring him,” Chan whispers back, but Jeongin cocks his head in reply and sends him a look that says something akin to: “Who are you trying to fool.”
He sighs and nods, then focuses back on the stylist, who comes to finish his look. He then collects himself, inhales deeply and puts a smile on his face before turning around.
Hyunjin is looking at him with his fox-like eyes. There is hesitance seen in them, and maybe nerves, but he still smiles.
“Hi, nice to meet you,” Chan says, stepping closer. “You must be Hwang Hyunjin.”
“Yes, that’s me,” the man beams. “It’s an honor to meet you. I’m a big fan.”
Chan is surprised. This was not what he expected to hear after the guy just laughed at his photos. “Uh… oh. Thank you. That’s nice of you.”
There’s a beat of silence between them in which Chan wishes he could say: “I’m a fan too,” but he has never heard of the guy, which makes this a very uncomfortable moment. That doesn’t say anything about Hyunjin, but everything about how he doesn’t watch gamers, streamers, or anything related to it.
Hyunjin is silent and doesn’t reply to him. He has an indecipherable look in his eyes. Chan would love to be able to read his expression. Hyunjin’s smile slowly dies and he swallows. “I uh… I should get dressed.”
“Yeah,” Chan nods with a weird feeling in his stomach. He isn’t only unable to read Hyunjin’s expression but apparently also his own.
“Have you done this before?” Chan asks Hyunjin, who shakes his head.
“Not much.”
Chan smiles, feeling a flicker of relief. He’s not the only one who has no clue what to do in front of the camera.
It’s not much later when Chan takes his place next to Hyunjin in front of the gold backdrop. Chan wonders who thought it was a good idea to put two strangers together with no experience in modeling in front of a camera to act as if they are best friends.
“Alright, let’s get to work,” the photographer says, getting in position with his camera in hand. “Let’s get you both in the frame. Remember, chemistry is key.”
Chan swallows, finding it awkward as he tries his best to pose well, but how do you pose with another man? He shuffles forward, glancing nervously at Hyunjin, who smiles at him. Despite the gamer saying he doesn’t have much experience, he looks pretty confident and calm.
The photographer gives them directions for a starting pose, and they seem pleased with the results despite Chan’s struggles to decide where to put his hands.
He is mentally scolding himself for not getting his act together when Hyunjin gently tugs on his arm.
“Take a step closer to me and turn your chest slightly. No, no, not like that. Pretend you’re talking to me and I said something funny, but then look at the camera,” the man instructs him, baffling Chan. Is Hyunjin giving him orders now?
“Huh?”
Chan hears the clicking sound of the shutter, realizing the photographer is apparently okay with this.
“You need to open up to the camera more. Try to change the angle of your shoulders to-” Hyunjin continues, but Chan cuts him off.
“Wait, what? Who put you in charge?”
Hyunjin chuckles, unbothered. “Relax. Just trust me. You’ll thank me later. Turn your upper body a bit more. No, that’s too much.”
Hyunjin’s hand reaches for Chan’s shoulder, but he swats it away. “I don’t need your help, alright? I just did the individual photoshoot just fine without you.”
The photographer lowers his camera. “Actually, Hyunjin is right. That angle looks great. It really highlights your strong features.”
Chan grumbles under his breath as heat rises to his face. Hyunjin, on the other hand, beams at the compliment.
The photographer looks at both men with raised eyebrows, a silent question if they can move on without them bickering.
Chan coughs curtly and straightens his clothes. “My apologies. We can continue.”
Chan somehow manages to get through the first part of the photoshoot. Hyunjin keeps trying to guide him, and unlucky for him, the photographer agrees with Hyunjin’s suggestions. Chan wonders how much experience this guy actually has. It doesn’t look like he is a blank canvas at all.
During the next part, with a new set of clothes, Hyunjin makes another attempt at taking over the photoshoot by suggesting poses and bossing Chan around.
Chan stiffens when Hyunjin’s hands are on his shoulders and he glares at Hyunjin. “Why don’t you let me decide the poses for once.”
The gamer raises an eyebrow, looking amused. “Go ahead. Show me what you’ve got.”
Chan feels heat rising in his stomach. Is Hyunjin really provoking him like this?
He pushes Hyunjin toward the Christmas tree, turns him around and takes a step closer. They are face to face now and way closer than Chan intended. Chan hates that it makes him flustered when he sees Hyunjin’s chocolate-brown eyes light up and his lips curl. He swallows as he looks into Hyunjin’s eyes, forgetting what his genius game plan was.
“I… u-uh,” he stutters. “Let’s uh… do it like this.”
Hyunjin presses his lips together, trying to hold back laughter. He allows Chan to move his body parts around, but Chan’s focus is entirely gone by now. The pose ends up feeling forced and uncomfortable.
“Just do it like this,” Hyunjin says, placing his hand on Chan’s waist and pulling him closer.
Chan’s breath gets stolen and his skin starts burning when Hyunjin touches him over his clothes. Their bodies are barely apart now, the air charged but Chan doesn’t know with what. Is it anger, uncomfortableness or… attraction? No, definitely not the last one. That can’t be true.
“Perfect,” the photographer cheers. “Now look at me, gentlemen, but keep your heads close to each other. Yes, amazing. Chan, look at Hyunjin now.”
Chan follows the instructions, thinking it is suddenly way too hot in this room. He blames the lights and softboxes though; they radiate heat. It is one hundred percent not caused by the way Hyunjin looks flawless and handsome up close. A straight nose, sharp jawline, clear skin and a damn hot lopsided smirk. He might even go as far as saying that smirk is sexy as hell if it were plastered on someone else’s face than Hyunjin’s.
It is hard to focus after that, but he manages to make it through the photoshoot.
“Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen,” the photographer announces at the end. “You did well. The magazine will have a hard time picking out the final photos. You are both born to be in front of a lens.”
“Thank you as well. It was a pleasure to work with you,” Chan says, bowing respectfully while Hyunjin agrees with his words.
The whole team expresses gratitude for each other’s work and after, Chan walks off the set, immediately accompanied by Jeongin.
“Amazing job, Chan. The photos are great,” he compliments Chan as they head over to the stylist to change into his own clothes again.
“Thank you. I thought I was messing it up,” he voices his insecurity out loud.
“Why do you think so? You did well.”
“Haven’t you heard how many directions I got, even from the other guy? I looked like an inexperienced fool,” he says while he removes his clothes and hands them to Jeongin, who neatly folds them.
“No, you weren’t. It’s normal to get directions and instructions during a photoshoot if you’re not a model, and even then, you’ll get them.”
“But Hyunjin didn’t get many.”
“Don’t compare yourself to others,” Jeongin comforts him as he hands him his clothes, which Chan starts putting on. He can’t wait to get out of this room. “You did great, Chan. The photos look good. I’m positive the result will look perfect. Are you ready to go? We might grab some lunch before the interview this afternoon.
“Yes, sure,” Chan nods. He thanks the stylist and make-up artist, who smile at him and reassure him he will see him later today. As they leave the room, Chan’s eyes land on Hyunjin, who bashfully smiles at him. Suddenly, he feels the need to get clarification.
“Wait here. I’ll be right back,” he says to Jeongin before he walks up to Hyunjin, leaving Jeongin behind with a confused expression.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Yes, sure,” Hyunjin agrees.
Chan takes him to the hallway, out of sight from the others. The door falls shut behind them, shutting the noise out, the silence of the hallways filling the air.
Hyunjin looks at him with a frown, and Chan hates how the man still looks gorgeous when he’s confused. “Is everything okay?”
“I thought you said you didn’t have any experience?” Chan asks. He needs to get this off his chest and he needs Hyunjin to understand so that they can work together professionally for the next couple of days. If he bottles it up, he will surely snap at one point. He doesn’t realize that point is coming in a minute anyway.
Hyunjin snickers softly. “I said not much. I did some photoshoots in the past, but it was just a little side job.”
Chan is thrown off by his laughter, feeling like he has been lied to. Something that has happened in the past so often that it triggers him instantly. He crosses his arms in front of his chest, and his expression becomes sour.
“Well, that doesn’t give you the right to boss me around.”
Hyunjin’s eyes widen before they narrow in annoyance. “Jeez, I just wanted to help. What’s your problem?”
“You made me look like a fool, that’s my problem. Everyone was watching while you were commanding me.”
“You’re making a fool out of yourself by reacting this way,” Hyunjin bites back, his eyebrows lowering and his expression turning dark. “I can’t believe I was a fan of yours. I thought you were nice, but guess that’s just an act when the camera’s rolling.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but not everyone’s rainbow and glitters like in your games,” Chan retorts.
Hyunjin scoffs. “Oh, so that’s what this is about? I’m a gamer and you think you’re better than me? Do you think I’m not good enough to be next to you during this event? You want the spotlight all by yourself?”
“Yes, indeed. I worked my entire life to get to this point in my career and I need this press event. Because of you, I’ll get the wrong kind of attention. Everyone will think I’m not important enough to do this event alone.”
“Well, suck it up, Chan. I’m here whether you like it or not. Go cry to someone else about it.” With that, Hyunjin staves off. He walks back into the studio, the sound of the door being slammed shut echoing loudly in the quiet hallway.
Chan stays behind, overwhelmed by how fast their conversation escalated. He hoped Hyunjin would understand if he explained it, but he realizes he started this conversation on the wrong foot.
Jeongin opens the door and comes out with confusion written all over his face.
“Everything okay?” he asks Chan.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” Chan grumbles.
“You sure? Hyunjin came in looking like he was about to explode.”
Chan sighs. “Yeah, well… I told him I didn’t like his behavior during the photoshoot and he didn’t take it well.”
“You told him that?” Jeongin asks, his eyes wide. “Why did you do that? He was just trying to help you.”
“No, he wasn’t. And I told him because I don’t let people walk over me. He didn’t have any right to and he didn’t ask me if I was okay with it first. I’m the one in charge of my life. If I don’t stand up for myself like this, people will take advantage of me or try to do me wrong behind my back.”
Jeongin is silent before he swallows. “I’m sorry you feel that way,” he says eventually, his expression becoming sad. “Shall we… go have lunch now?”
“I first need to call a friend, if that’s okay with you?” he says, needing to clear his head and calm his mind. “We have a few hours before the shoot starts, right?”
Jeongin nods. “Yes, we have plenty of time left. How long do you need?”
“Let’s meet in the lobby in 30 minutes. Okay?”
“Sure.”
Chan swallows, nods and then turns around, ready to leave. He desperately needs to vent to someone who understands him or he will combust.