Work Text:
“Unnie, you’re so beautiful.”
For what must’ve been the thousandth time, Joohyun turns her head just in time to take in the familiar sight of Seulgi clutching her film camera in her hands.
There’s the soft mechanical click of the shutter button being released, a sound that would’ve gone unnoticed by her if she hadn’t been listening for it. A second later comes the cranking of the film to the next empty slot.
Once she’d realized what had happened, the model gives a start, flashing the photographer a surprised look. Joohyun had been in the midst of getting ready for another photoshoot, peering into a stretch of mirror with a set of diamond encrusted earrings hovering next to her face, when Seulgi had snapped a photo.
“You always manage to catch me off guard,” the budding model tuts, eyeing the photographer with a feigned look of displeasure. The photographer seemed to have a knack for chancing upon her when she was alone. Moments earlier, her makeup artist had gone off to tend to the other models participating in the same shoot.
“I wasn’t ready,” Joohyun adds with a huff. Seulgi hums and settles into the chair beside Joohyun, studying her subject with a small smile. “You know, I’ve always found it easier to photograph someone if they aren’t looking,” the photographer muses.
Seulgi’s eyes begin to shimmer in the light as they look through her, and Joohyun isn’t sure if it’s just the dressing room lights playing tricks on her or not. Seulgi’s eyes have always looked as though stars danced inside them, swirling deep within her pitch black pupils.
“I think there’s something extremely intimate in the act of photographing someone when they aren’t aware,” Seulgi continues, fiddling with a few of the knobs on the camera’s exterior. Her voice is soft and melodic, as if she’s singing instead of speaking – something Joohyun finds utterly fascinating about the other woman.
“It’s like you can see a part of who that person truly is, rather than who they’re attempting to be.” Joohyun watches Seulgi gingerly set her camera down on the cluttered counter in front of them, as if the tiniest jarring movement would shatter the device into pieces.
“You’ve already got the whole modeling industry figured out, I assume,” Joohyun replies, lightly giggling. She pretends to fix her lipstick, knowing she has every fiber of Seulgi’s attention trained on her. “We’re all a bunch of phonies.”
She picks up the other earring, and is in the midst of clasping it on her right ear, when Seulgi pipes up once more. “Actually,” the photographer retorts, chuckling to herself, “You’re different from all the rest of the models I’ve shot before.” Joohyun’s fair cheeks burn with a fiery red at Seulgi’s bold statement.
Suddenly, the model feels as though she were naked, exposed in front of the other woman for her to see. She wants to ask the photographer the question pressing against her tongue. Is that why you take photos of me even when we’re off site? They share a knowing look of understanding between them, silently regarding each other with their mutual respect.
She and Seulgi were working more and more frequently with each other in the past year or so, now that both of their careers were taking off. The pair were often considered as rising “it” girl, Bae Joohyun, and one of the most celebrated fashion photographers in the industry, Kang Seulgi.
Their paths were destined to cross in one way or another.
“Perhaps you’ll teach me this art of yours some time,” Joohyun murmurs, running a finger over the supple leather grip of the camera. She recognized the equipment immediately as Seulgi’s prized possession. This was the photographer’s favorite camera out of all those housed within her extensive arsenal.
The Mamiya 7.
Coupled with a 65mm lens.
37720550.00 ₩, give or take.
The body of the camera was cloaked in the photographer’s favorite color: black.
Even the way Joohyun knows these facts about Seulgi was telling of their shared bond. The model’s never been one to claim favorites among the multiple artists that she’s had the honor of working with for campaigns or runways during interviews.
If Joohyun had to say, however, there wouldn’t be any doubt in her mind as to who she would choose. Kang Seulgi was by far the most interesting person she’d ever had the pleasure of collaborating with.
In her line of work, it had become easy to see who had the magic touch and who didn’t when it came to photographing. After a year of nonstop promotions, Joohyun could tell who had talent overflowing from their fingertips, and who’s had just run out.
Seulgi’s sharp eyes follow the way the model’s nail trace along the material of the camera grip for a split second before meeting the other woman’s steady gaze. “If I teach you how to shoot, will you teach me how to pose?”
“Is this your way of asking to see me outside of work?” Joohyun remarks, bemused at the photographer’s blushing cheeks. The pair hold their electrically charged eye contact for a few moments, each unsure of what to say next.
Seulgi opens her mouth to reply when someone raps their knuckles on the dressing room door.
“Miss Bae,” a woman’s voice rings out, “We’re ready for you.”
Seulgi smiles leisurely at the model, exhaling in relief. “Well, I guess that’s our cue, isn’t it?” The photographer straightens from her chair, then outstretches her hand towards Joohyun, a custom between the two of them.
Joohyun takes it, allowing their fingers to mingle together before Seulgi presses a chaste kiss to the skin of her wrist. “I guess it is,” Joohyun answers shakily, suddenly breathless at the contact.
She smooths the fabric of the sleek outfit she’s wearing and stands, willing her heart to stop skipping when she spots Seulgi’s silent approval. “Let’s give the world a show, shall we?” Seulgi murmurs, holding the door open for her.
“Just like we always do.”
The pair step out of the safety of the dressing room into the bustling studio, and Joohyun senses the way everyone seems magnetically drawn to them. She feels the lull in motion, the rising of excitement, the silence of their awe as lighting rigs are wheeled about and coffees are hastily shoved into waiting hands.
The bustle of a photoshoot has never failed to both excite and terrify Joohyun, perhaps that’s part of the reason why there’s an unusual thrumming within her rib cage. Anticipation shone in each and every one of the worker’s eyes.
Even the other models, who had been chatting amongst themselves by the refreshments, had ceased talking to gape at the sight of her and Seulgi. It seemed everyone wanted to watch them, Korea’s best, in action.
The chemistry between her and Seulgi was undeniable. That was fact. From the moment of their first meeting, Joohyun came to understand there was something about Kang Seulgi that made the other woman stand out from all the other professionals she’d worked with.
Joohyun recalls the memory with severe clarity, as if the encounter had been tattooed onto her thoughts forever. At first, she’d mistaken Seulgi for a model she’d be working with when they’d introduced themselves to each other. They’d been standing in line for the freshly brewed pot of coffee situated on one of the refreshment tables set up for staff workers.
The gig was Joohyun’s third of the day, and she was nearly half asleep by the time she’d padded over to the beverage station. With her hair and makeup freshly done, Joohyun had homed in on the lingering aroma of ground coffee beans wafting through the air. She weaved in and out of the people crowded inside the tiny studio, clad only in her bathrobe.
Snatching up an unused Styrofoam cup, Joohyun lined up behind the person currently commandeering the coffee machine, rubbing the tiredness in her eyes away. Which event was this again? She’d forgotten during the cab ride over, despite her manager having repeated the name for her five times.
There had been hours of H&M and Tommy Hilfiger, but after that, Joohyun’s mind began to grow foggy. She’s surprised she’s even able to stand at this point. “Want some?” A smooth voice piped up, breaking Joohyun from her hazy thoughts. The woman standing in front of her had turned, allowing the model to take in her striking features.
A word echoes inside of Joohyun’s head as she gets lost in the depths of the woman’s deep, pooling eyes. Artful. The woman’s lips were inviting, striking hues of pastel pink and red, garnering Joohyun’s attention first. The model let her eyes wander over the high cheekbones, the immaculate complexion, the effortless height and styling of the woman before her.
It wasn’t like Joohyun to be envious of other’s beauty, but the sight of this woman gave Joohyun a twinge of spite within the pit of her stomach. Perhaps her dreams of becoming the new fashion icon of South Korea wouldn’t be as easy as she’d thought, not with such a woman ready to step into the spotlight.
Truthfully, behind the mask and persona she often wore during photoshoots and campaigns, Joohyun was rather insecure about herself. She gave the people what they wanted from her: Attitude. Poise. Character. But at the end of the day, Joohyun still questioned whether she would ever be enough.
With such a large audience following her, criticizing her, studying her, it was hard to remember one important fact: the only opinion that should matter was her own. Joohyun struggled with the practice of self-love. Whenever she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she constantly second guessed herself. Her nose was too flat, her eyes were too small, her lips not luscious enough.
Hidden deep within her was this heavy secret, which she shared with no one else and bore alone. She could tell no one. How would people react if they heard the next top model second guessed herself constantly?
In stark contrast, the woman offering Joohyun the coffee pot was clearly comfortable in her own skin. Then again, how could she not be? The stranger’s gaze was hypnotizing, her aura commanding. This was someone who knew who they were and embraced themselves wholeheartedly.
“Yes, please,” Joohyun requests once she’s finished observing, her words coupled with a curt nod towards the coffee pot the other woman is holding. The stranger reaches for Joohyun’s cup, their fingers brushing together with the spark of something beginning to kindle within them.
“How do you take it?” The woman asks lightly, still clutching Joohyun’s coffee. She’s pointing at the tiny creamer cups and brown sugar dispenser set by the beverage machine with a small smile. “Two creams, two sugars,” Joohyun replies with a smile of her own, a genuine one she doesn’t typically share.
She watches, slightly awed, as the woman tilts the brown sugar container into the cup, then stirs in creamer. “There you are, Joohyun-ssi,” the stranger bows to her, holding the cup out to Joohyun. She shouldn’t be surprised that this woman knows her name, after all, she had been gaining more and more attention from the press, but that doesn’t stop her right eyebrow from flicking up.
“Thank you,” the model replies, bowing slightly, “Have you been with SM’s modeling agency for very long?” Joohyun takes a sip of the reviving liquid before she continues, “You must be new…I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of seeing your face before.”
Joohyun finds herself smirking as she witnessed the light dusting of pink settling over the other woman’s cheeks. She takes another sip of her coffee and leans against the table, blinking up at the other woman with her doe eyes. “Though I’m flattered, I’m not a model,” the stranger replies softly before sticking out her hand for Joohyun to shake.
“Kang Seulgi. I’m your photographer for the day.”
Since her and Seulgi’s first encounter, Joohyun had grown. She’d flowered and blossomed, maturing quickly. Joohyun no longer averted her eyes from her reflection, no longer harshly criticized herself when she was alone. The model has no doubt that Seulgi is the one who had paved the way for this new awakening.
After all, the photographer had been the first one to make the practically overused phrase of “You’re beautiful” mean something to Joohyun. She’d always brushed those words off as something people were obligated to say, with their tones rising in disbelief, almost as if they were questioning it at the same time.
When Seulgi told Joohyun she was beautiful, there was a solidity about the sentence, a truth. The photographer used the phrase only when she meant it. It causes Joohyun to muse over why Seulgi calls her beautiful when she isn’t doing anything at all.
**
Joohyun hadn’t been posing when she was makeup less and chowing down at the restaurant Seulgi took her to after their fifth time working together. She has thick rice noodles hanging out of her mouth while she simultaneously stuffs her face with rice.
The model was exhausted and half-starved from a long day of promotions, scarfing down the delicious food greedily. But Seulgi had uttered those words as if they’d been fact, then snapped a picture when Joohyun’s guard lowered five minutes later.
“You’re beautiful,” Seulgi had mumbled, chewing thoughtfully on her food as she looked at Joohyun. The model froze for a moment, observing the nonchalance in Seulgi’s demeanor with a growing grin. “You’re just saying that,” she chides, lowering her head so Seulgi couldn’t see the doubt filling her eyes.
Seulgi snorts, “You know me well enough to know I’m not.” Joohyun knew the photographer was right. After spending so much time together, on site and off site, at work and not at work, the pair were becoming increasingly close.
She’s pushing more of the noodles into her mouth when she hears the soft click of the camera. “Yah!” Joohyun yelped, reaching across their table to smack Seulgi lightly on the shoulder. The other woman merely giggled, shrugging off her attacker with a sly smile.
“Kang Seulgi, you better not blackmail me with that!”
**
Joohyun isn’t acting when she’s lost in the fictional universe of the book she’s currently reading. Curled up in her dressing room, waiting for her hair and makeup artists to walk in, Joohyun immerses herself in fantasy.
“Hi, unnie,” Seulgi calls, closing the door behind her. Ever since their first meeting, it had become a routine of Seulgi’s to check in on Joohyun before a shoot. Not that Joohyun minded, of course. She always welcomed the photographer’s presence, even if the other woman was distracting her from finishing her book.
“Hey, photographer extraordinaire,” the model greeted, flipping the page of the novel. Her sight never strays from the strings of words stamped across the parchment, even as Seulgi’s footsteps approach her. “I made you some coffee.” In Joohyun’s peripheral, a white ceramic mug appears, settling on the counter beside her.
Appreciatively, Joohyun grasps the handle and takes a swig of the piping hot beverage. “Thank you, Seulgi-ah.” She holds her coffee in her right hand, and the book balanced in her left as Seulgi settles into the chair next to hers.
A full two minutes pass of the pair merely sipping their coffees quietly before the photographer speaks up. “What are you reading?” The book is written in English, causing Seulgi to lean over in her chair and squint at the incoherent characters.
The model closes the book slowly and sets it on her lap. She lifts her mug to her lips, eyes pouring into Seulgi’s, “A love story.” A flicker comes across Seulgi’s anticipating face, a hint of something Joohyun could’ve easily missed, had she not been well rehearsed in the manner of how a person looks at someone or something.
The act of looking was a vital element of Joohyun’s work, conjuring up enough feeling to her eyes in order to capture people’s attention. She was fluent in the way people looked at her, with their wanting, their curiosity, or their envy.
The model could tell a person’s intentions merely by watching at them. She’d sent away countless suitors, fellow coworkers who’d taken a liking to her. Joohyun could tell they were only attracted to her for her fame, for her looks, not her substance or soul.
Seulgi seemed to see through all of Joohyun, as if the model were the viewfinder of her camera, the photographer saw all and knew all. Joohyun was sure she’d never seen love in someone’s eyes before, but she swore the emotion was shimmering within Seulgi’s.
Joohyun’s stare shifts towards the ceiling, suddenly unsure of if she was right in her presumptions. After all, was Seulgi even into women? Absentmindedly, she’d flipped open the book and began reading once more.
The model waits for it, for Seulgi to say the magic words again. She doesn’t have to wait for long. “Do you know how beautiful you are?” Joohyun merely grunts in response, eyes glued to the pages of her novel.
She doesn’t look up or protest when she hears the click of Seulgi’s camera a few seconds later, but they both know Joohyun’s smiling to herself.
**
She isn’t Joohyun when she’s staring wistfully out the plane window on the way to New York Fashion Week. Rather, she’s just another young woman, curled up in her seat in first class, jamming out to music and finishing the book she’d been reading a few weeks prior.
Interestingly enough, as the model looked out the window next to her, her thoughts turned to the one and only Kang Seulgi. It’d been a while since Joohyun had seen the talented artist. Their schedules had begun conflicting a few months prior, as more and more job offers were extended to each of them in different directions.
Joohyun had heard that Seulgi had been spending a lot of her time in Milan for Fashion Week, having been assigned to document the event alongside numerous other talented photographers. Joohyun’s own schedule had been too full to join the rest of her company on the runway, but was promised she’d open for New York Fashion Week instead.
She glances down at her phone when it buzzes in her lap, wishing futilely that it was Seulgi who’d texted her. Joohyun wonders why she’d never asked for the photographer’s number in the first place. Perhaps because it would’ve been seen as unprofessional to her peers, or because she’d been too shy to do so herself.
Sighing, Joohyun leans back against her seat and closes her eyes, taking a light nap as the rest of the passengers boarded.
Just before takeoff, a hand reached out from across the aisle and tapped the model’s shoulder lightly. Joohyun pulled one of her earbuds out as she turned her head, expecting one of the flight attendants to be standing next to her seat.
Instead, she’s greeted by the sight of Kang Seulgi waving furiously at her from her seat, beaming. “Fancy meeting you here,” the photographer murmurs, leaning across the way as much as her seatbelt will allow, “I can’t wait to see you on the runway.”
The duo are on their way to New York Fashion Week, and fate somehow destined them to be sharing the same plane aisle. “Are you part of the paparazzi entourage?” Joohyun queries, setting her book down and giving the photographer her full attention. Seulgi shakes her head, “Not this time around, they’re giving me a break after working on Milan.”
Joohyun nods, “You deserve it, Seulgi-yah. I know how busy you’ve been lately.” Seulgi laughs, throwing her head back against the headrest of her seat, “You’re one to talk, aren’t you? I haven’t heard news of you getting a break in the past year, unnie.” Joohyun smiles sheepishly at the other woman.
Time was such a transient thing for the model. She had become accustomed to running from place to place, attending back to back events, hardly ever getting time for herself. However, because of her drive and passion for her work, Joohyun had finally obtained the title of “the nation’s face” as one of the many news outlets had dubbed her.
Joohyun felt the weight of it all on her shoulders, the tiredness in her bones had began to ache. “Maybe it is time for a break,” Joohyun murmurs to herself thoughtfully, making a mental note to talk to her manager as soon as she landed in New York.
They’re in the air now, soaring high above the wall of clouds separating them from the view below. It’s peaceful in a way Joohyun hasn’t felt in a long time, with the quiet chattering amongst the other first-class fliers and the whirring of the airplane’s air conditioning system. No one’s asking for her autograph, in fact no one’s even giving her more than a mere passing glance.
Other than Seulgi of course. The photographer’s full, undivided attention is focused on her, and Joohyun would be lying if she said it didn’t please her. A fourteen hour flight would be ample time to catch up with the other woman since the last time they’d seen each other.
“You’re on break then?” Joohyun asks, once the flight attendants have moved on down the row, ripping open the package of food that had been handed to her. “I am,” Seulgi replied, munching on her own snacks, “I won’t be taking photos for anyone in New York…though I have brought my camera with me.”
The photographer gestures towards the supple black leather bag tucked neatly under her feet, “I’ve got front row seats to all your shows, you know.” Joohyun understands the possibilities of working with someone like Seulgi, getting to know someone as genuine and kind as the photographer will probably never happen to her again.
“Are you my biggest fan or what?” Joohyun giggles, shying her eyes away from the photographer’s tender gaze. Ever since they’d started working together, Seulgi had been this way: so open and caring towards her. It gave Joohyun goosebumps. “Of course I am,” Seulgi replies, “How could I not be the fan of the most beautiful woman in the world?”
Joohyun hears Seulgi’s camera shutter snap just before she drifts off into slumber, tired succumbing to exhaustion after hours of talking with the other woman. The model weakly blink backs her weariness to give Seulgi a frown. “I had my mouth open in that one,” Joohyun complained drowsily.
“Still the most beautiful woman,” comes the quick response, dovetailed by the cranking of the film camera. Joohyun doesn’t need to open her eyes to know Seulgi’s grinning at her.
**
Click.
One.
The sound and flash of Seulgi’s first take snap Joohyun out of her reminiscing, and she quickly readies herself for the next photo. A year later, and she and Seulgi are still crowned as Korea’s best high fashion model and photographer, respectively.
Try as she might, Joohyun has no idea how many times they’ve partnered up for a new promotion since their first collaboration. It’s unusual, in their line of work, to even have worked together twice. With their careers so closely intertwined, it might’ve appear that Joohyun was Seulgi’s muse, as if Joohyun only modeled for Seulgi, only showed Seulgi who she really was.
“Tilt your head back for me just a little?” Seulgi asks, squinting at Joohyun through the viewfinder of her Mamiya 7. The other woman was so engrossed in her work, she hadn’t noticed the way her model had somewhat tuned out from their current project.
The photographer’s work ethic was something Joohyun revered like a double edged sword. Joohyun admired Seulgi’s relentless perfectionist tendencies to no end, it was most of the reason why Seulgi had become as renowned as she was in her field. Yet the model also somewhat dreaded repeating pose after pose for the woman to reframe, redo, photograph.
Joohyun does as she told immediately, obedient to Seulgi in every way possible. She’s splayed out sensually across an ivory sofa, clad only in a dark red robe, posing for a new brand of loungewear. The silky material is clasped in between the fingers of her free hand, nails dragging up to reveal the tender skin of her upper thigh.
In the background, Joohyun can make out the faint beat of music playing, as well as the low murmurs of praise circling around the staff hanging around the set.
They’re somewhere in the heart of Beverly Hills, with sunlight pouring through the open windows and a breeze billowing through the white translucent curtains.
The creamy color of the walls, coupled with the dark walnut wooden paneling on the floor, give off even more warmth. Joohyun finds herself quite fond of this particular site, it made her think of comfort, as if this were her actual house. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to imagine the impossible: a home with Seulgi.
The look Joohyun’s giving the camera is longing, the finger trapped between her pearly teeth teasing. It’s as if her body language were conveying the message of you can look, but you can’t touch. A few months ago, Joohyun would’ve protested participating in such a seductive concept. Her modesty and shyness outranked her ability to access the sensual side of herself while being photographed.
Seulgi, of all people, had been the one to teach the model how to handle creating such an impression by giving her a few choice words. Vogue wanted Joohyun on the front cover of their magazine, and had requested the model give her most alluring look for the image: Korea’s Upcoming Top Model.
**
“I don’t know how to be sexy,” Joohyun confessed, biting her lip as she stared at Seulgi in the reflection of her dressing room mirror. Twenty minutes until the first take, and there Joohyun was, showing the most unprofessionalism she’d ever allowed herself since the beginning of her modeling career.
Seulgi places a warm hand over her shoulder, enveloping the other woman with her comforting touch. “I find that hard to believe somehow,” the photographer murmured, trailing off as she met Joohyun’s quizzical stare. “I look at the camera as if I’m going to eat it helps,” the photographer continued, allowing her finger to slip off the material of Joohyun’s latest outfit. Despite the serious tone with which the words were spoken in, Joohyun can’t help but find herself laughing at the other woman’s response.
Seulgi’s face remains stoic, silently questioning the reason behind Joohyun’s giggling. “Oh,” the model says after a moment, realizing that Seulgi hadn’t joined in on her laughter, “You aren’t joking.” The photographer shakes her head with a smile and says, “Not in the slightest.”
She rubs her stomach playfully, “Sometimes I picture fried eggs and rice, that always makes me look seductive.” Another fit of giggles emits from the model, and she smacks Seulgi’s shoulder. The sound of the model’s amusement is so contagious that Seulgi joins in with her, chuckling softly to herself.
“Stop joking around, Kang,” Joohyun had said, “I need some real advice!”
Ten minutes before their first take.
“Well, why don’t you try and look at the camera as if it’s something you desire?” Seulgi asks, doing her best to guide the model. At this, Joohyun tilts her head to the side, confused as to why she was seeing Seulgi so bashful. The photographer had always been so straightforward, so sure of herself, and seeing the other woman hesitate like this made Joohyun bite her lip.
“Something I want?” Joohyun murmured thoughtfully, straining to think of anything.
Shock comes over the photographer’s features, and she peers down at Joohyun with her sharp eyes. “Surely you’ve desired something before,” Seulgi continues in disbelief, “Or someone.” At that, Joohyun’s cheeks flush, and she averts her eyes from Seulgi’s challenging stare, pretending to fix her already perfectly tousled hair.
Truthfully, there had only been only one person who’d roused her attraction before, and that same individual was currently gazing at her through the mirror. No male model had ever appealed to her. Rather, her eyes were frequently drawn to some of her coworkers during promotions. Despite this, Joohyun was still struggling to come to terms with herself.
Five minutes before their first take.
“So,” Joohyun murmurs after she’s gained enough courage to lift her face, “Something like this, then?” Seduction droops from each of Joohyun’s eyelashes, her cherry red lips slightly parted, her cheeks afire, her eyes burning into Seulgi’s. The model feels the photographer tighten her grip on the back of her chair, watches Seulgi’s knuckles turning white with triumph filling her chest.
An instant later, the innocence returns over Joohyun’s ethereal features, as if she’d flipped an internal switch, and Seulgi’s knuckles release their hold. “Yes…exactly like that,” Seulgi mumbles bashfully. Joohyun flashes the photographer a winning smile before Seulgi asks, “Who were you thinking about, then?”
Joohyun debates telling Seulgi how interested in she’d been in the photographer ever since she’d fixed her coffee for her on their first project. She wonders which words she should piece together in order to convey the vast array of emotion she feels when she’s with the other woman. She ponders on telling the truth or not, if it was worth the possibility of losing Seulgi forever.
In the end, Joohyun opens her mouth, ready to confess her true feelings. Her lips form the first syllable of her confession when a knock on the door shatters the moment completely.
“Miss Bae, Miss Kang, we’re ready for you out here,” comes the muffled voice of a staff member, “Take one is all set.” Springing into action, Seulgi holds out her hand for Joohyun to take, acting as if the tension between them hadn’t felt extremely suffocating.
“Well,” Seulgi smiles sheepishly as she leads the model towards the door. There’s something different in the photographer’s typically laidback tone, a sharpness and stiffness Joohyun’s unfamiliar with. “I suppose it doesn’t matter who it is,” Seulgi says, “As long as you look at the camera like that.”
**
Click.
Two.
“Could you give me a smirk this time around, Joohyun-ah?” Seulgi requests, focusing the lens of the camera once more. Her trusty Mamiya 7 is settled within her right hand, long, alabaster fingers cupped against the dark camera body.
Cursing herself for allowing her focus to slip away for the second time, Joohyun shifts on the sofa to cast the expression towards the photographer. Once she finishes settling herself comfortably, she sends Seulgi the best smirk she can muster.
“Good,” the photographer compliments, nodding appreciatively at the model. “Now give me seriousness,” the photographer asks next, taking a few steps forward. Joohyun can just make out her reflection in the glass of the lens, arms above her head, her blank expression deadpanning into Seulgi’s eyes.
Click.
Three.
“Can you sit up for me?” Joohyun knows Seulgi’s work habits almost by heart now. The photographer is nimble, her work quick and effective, unless if she’s convinced she needs more shots for better coverage. Today, they were on a roll.
She could tell Seulgi was happy with the shots they were getting from the way she smiled every time she pressed down on the shutter release, one eye open and the other screwed shut as she peered through the view finder. The model straightens, leaning back against the couch and crossing her legs and arms in front of her, like how she’d usually sit if she were alone.
“Yes,” Seulgi approves enthusiastically, “Hold that pose.” Not a muscle twitches in Joohyun’s body after Seulgi’s command. The model stares relentlessly at the camera with her blank expression, looking regal enough for a king to quiver before her.
Click.
Four.
In the back of her mind, Joohyun tries to silence the nagging feeling that today could be the last time she’ll work with Seulgi. Any time could’ve been the last time, but the universe kept bringing them together, it seemed. Joohyun was almost afraid of their last shoot, despite knowing their last wouldn’t come any time soon, with their careers having taken off.
The model lived for each shot Seulgi took for her, every flashbulb that went off and half blinded her for a split second, but most of all, she desired Seulgi’s ceaseless praise after the images were processed. The photographer had even claimed in an interview that Joohyun was the sole reason for her success during one of their Calvin Klein campaigns a month ago.
Joohyun could only blush silently beside her, digging her fingers a little harder into Seulgi’s arm as she tried in vain to keep the wild grin spreading across her face hidden from the cameras. With the photographer becoming such a prominent figure in her world, Joohyun wondered how the turmoil of her life would be without Seulgi by her side.
Click.
Five.
“How about we change locations?” Seulgi pipes up cheerfully, gesturing for Joohyun to follow her towards the room’s open balcony. The rest of the camera staff idle after them, lingering in their groups and chatting amongst themselves. They wouldn’t be doing much of anything until Seulgi switched to her digital camera, which the photographer only used as a precaution.
Joohyun knows this because Seulgi is one of the few photographers she’s knows of who still implemented film in their craft. Having worked with a handful of artists before Seulgi, Joohyun found herself bewildered at the woman’s methods.
“I like the grit film gives you after you develop it,” the photographer said in explanation after the finish of their first shoot, “It’s kind of like a preset you don’t have to create yourself.”
Click.
Six.
Joohyun allowed her hands to run through the flimsy material of the see-through drapes, eyes trained on the rolling California hills. Autumn in the States contrasted greatly with the season in Seoul. A soothing warmth enveloped Joohyun, and she let out a blissful smile, closing her eyes to bask in the sunlight. “Hold it right there for me…,” Seulgi trailed off, squinting her eye shut.
Click.
Seven.
“Okay, now open your eyes for me?” Seulgi reaches out a hand to direct Joohyun’s slim figure until she’s leaning against the threshold of the double doors. There’s a soothing sensation that flows from Seulgi’s fingertips through the luxurious material of Joohyun’s kimono. She tries to pretend the simple touch doesn’t affect her, but there’s a heat pool within her stomach and creeping up her neck.
“Exactly like that.”
Click.
Eight.
“Wait a moment.” Joohyun’s eyes flick over in confusion, silently questioning the reason behind Seulgi’s sudden pause. The photographer regards her with a glittering smile, as if it’s just the two of them instead of an entire room of staff watching their every move and interaction. “Now,” Seulgi drawls slowly, “Give me you.”
At such an intimate request, Joohyun finds herself stare at the photographer with wide eyes. She was used to getting directions from photographers by now, applying which emotion they wanted for each shot. But Joohyun has never been herself, per se, in a photoshoot. Until now. “Go on,” Seulgi murmurs, nodding at her, silently asking her to show the side of herself she had only reserved for Seulgi and Vogue.
Hesitating ever so slightly, Joohyun allowed herself to be led over towards the railing of the balcony. She throws her arms over the banister, sighing as she took in the gorgeous valley view below, peppered with shimmering city lights and skyscrapers and palm trees. The hazy smog glossing over the skyline adds even more dreaminess to the scene, hinting of the golden hour to approaching on the horizon.
For a moment, Joohyun allows herself to forget that she’s in the middle of her job, basking herself in the Southern Californian sunset, propped against the balcony railing with her eyes glittering. She senses Seulgi’s presence, hovering over her shoulder with a thoughtful expression tugged over her features.
The photographer is as beautiful as ever, with her dark brown hair glistening in the light, and the sun illuminating her eyes until they were a honeyed amber. Seulgi’s so pretty, it’s almost hard not to feel the fluttering of her heart strings whenever Joohyun looks at her. The model has always harbored the idea that Seulgi was even more striking than herself, and could easily join the world of modeling if she ever had the whim to.
But the photographer was more than happy with her vocation to change her mind, regardless of how many times Joohyun tried to convince her. The model glances back at the other woman, watching as Seulgi tugged up one of the belt loops on her yellow shorts, fixing the white long-sleeved button up elegantly tucked into the pants.
“You’re beautiful.” This time around, the words aren’t uttered by the photographer. When Seulgi looks up, her eyebrows raised, she’s met with Joohyun’s seductive stare from over her pale shoulder. “Hey,” the photographer laughs, “That’s my line.” She lifts the camera back to her face before Joohyun has the chance to say anything.
The model quickly settles back into her pose, facing the cityscape with her head turned ever so slightly, allowing the camera to pick up on her unique side profile.
Click.
Nine.
“Can you turn around and look at me?” Joohyun does as she’s asked, allowing the same flirtatious glint to return to her eyes. Seulgi gives her half a smile, “Could you lean against the banister and put an arm over it?” Joohyun swings an elbow over the railing, settling her body posture as naturally as she can, “Like this?”
Click.
Ten.
“Perfect.”
Seulgi fiddles the camera, carefully rewinding the finished roll back into its canister. Joohyun watches the photographer gingerly tuck the container of freshly exposed images into the camera bag slung across her shoulder. As Seulgi ducks into the shaded safety of the room to open a new roll, Joohyun sighs quietly and gazes down at Los Angeles. “I love it here, Seul.”
Seulgi shuts the back of the camera with a soft click and cranks the film advancer lever a few times, readying for the next shot. Another ten shots to go. Joohyun begins her mental countdown. “I thought you might like it here,” the photographer replies, smoothly sauntering over towards the model, “That’s why I requested the location for the States.”
“I’m sure I’m not the sole reason,” Joohyun retorts, though she can’t help but smile. Seulgi joins her, propped up against the cool metal barrier, watching the hues of pink and orange take to the sky. Joohyun leans her head on Seulgi’s shoulder for half a second, allowing herself to absorb the brief sensation of blissful peace.
“I’d love to stay like this,” Seulgi murmurs, looking down at the model’s face, leaning her head against Joohyun’s, “But we still have ten shots to go, and the light’s running out.”
**
Joohyun and Seulgi meet again two months later, with December frosting over Seoul in different shades of white powered snow. Joohyun finds herself fidgeting with her fingers on the cab ride over to the photoshoot site. From what she’s been told, she knows it’s an indoor greenhouse in an obscure location Joohyun isn’t exactly sure of.
“Don’t worry,” Joohyun’s manager reassures, picking up on the model’s nervous tick, “You’re going to love it.” At that, Joohyun can’t help but think about the last time she’d said something like that herself. Her mind transported her back to the sunny balcony shoot with Seulgi’s warming eyes trained on her. “I’m sure I will,” Joohyun replied absentmindedly, wringing her hands together once more before relaxing. “This is for Seulgi and I’s cover for Dazed, right?”
Her manager nods, prompting another question to leap forth from Joohyun’s lips. “If Seulgi’s going to be posing with me, who’s our photographer?” Flicking briskly through her smart phone, the manager searches for a full thirty seconds before she can pull up the newcomer’s information. “Son Seungwan,” she reports, “Apparently she’s another upcoming photographer Seulgi’s familiar with.”
At this, Joohyun scrunches up her nose slightly, “Familiar with?” Her manager shrugs, “I believe I remember Seulgi’s agent telling me that the two went to college together before Seungwan moved back overseas to Canada.” This new tidbit only makes Joohyun frown even more, “So Seungwan-ssi flew in from Canada just to shoot this for us?” Smiling at Joohyun’s obvious jealousy, her manager pats her shoulder gently, “You’ve always talked about Seulgi’s reputation as a good thing, Joohyun-ah.”
Pouting slightly, but refusing to meet her manager’s teasing gaze, Joohyun feels her mood souring bit by bit. Only the vibrating of her phone and the notification of Seulgi’s text breaks her out of it.
Are you almost here?
Joohyun reads, unconsciously smiling at her lit phone screen.
I can’t wait to see you.
**
Son Seungwan isn’t anything like how Joohyun had been picturing her in her head. The humidity of the room envelops her as soon as she steps foot into the greenhouse, and she wonders just how the layers of makeup they’re going to be putting on her will stay. After a rushed thirty minutes of makeup and wardrobe, she’s being led by one of the staff workers towards the heart of the small building, Joohyun takes in the luscious surroundings.
Dark foliage towers above her, nearly blocking out the artificial lights bathing the room in an artificial yellowed light, casting the shadows of leaves and branches onto the white cement floor. It’s more spacious than Joohyun had been expecting, filled to the brim with exotic assortments of blooms and greenery.
She zones in on Seulgi as they turn a corner into a large clearing in the center of the structure, outfitted with a sleek modern sofa, a set of lamps, and an oval shaped wooden table. Joohyun appreciated the way its color contrasted with the variety of green tones, a soft red amongst juniper and pine and fern. On either side of the sofa were two vintage lampstands, giving off a brighter, more florescent light than those overhead.
The model notices the photographer talking animatedly with another woman, who’s back is facing Joohyun. She thanks the staff member politely for guiding her, then silently takes in the newcomer’s petite figure. Her eyes are instantly drawn towards the thick magenta hair spiraling off of the woman’s black sweater, then flicker down to appraise the toned thigh muscles revealed by her denim shorts.
“Finally!” Seulgi calls, causing Joohyun to rip her focus away from purple haired woman. The model finds herself enveloped in the photographer’s soothing hold, but she quickly squirms out of the other woman’s reach. “It’s too hot in here for that,” Joohyun teases, whining childishly about the humidity. Seulgi pouts as Seungwan walks up to her, giving Joohyun an extremely calculated ninety-degree bow.
“Son Seungwan,” the Canadian says cheerfully after they both straighten, “It’s nice to finally see the person Seulgi’s been telling me so much about in person.” Flicking an eyebrow up at this, Joohyun allows herself a hasty glance in Seulgi’s direction. With the photographer’s eyes widening ever so slightly, Joohyun can tell that this was a detail Seungwan wasn’t supposed to have divulged to her, and she giggles at the pair.
Meeting Joohyun’s acquaintance with her Canon 5D Mark IV practically welded to her right hand, the Canadian is brimming with optimism and a voice radiating joy. “I like your hair,” Joohyun compliments after they exchange respectful bows, “It suits you very well.” Seungwan gestures for her and Seulgi to make their way towards the velvety couch, where they each take a seat. “Thank you so much!” Seungwan perks up, her rigidness evaporating in the thick air.
“Why a greenhouse?” Joohyun can’t help but ask as she settles down next to Seulgi on the plush cushions. The question is directed at Seungwan, but she’s staring into the babbling pond, watching the speckled koi flicking their elegant fins beneath the surface of the clear water. “I think this is rather fitting,” Seulgi chimes in before Seungwan has the chance to answer, “I can just hear the title of the front cover now.”
Joohyun watches as the younger woman waves her hands in a circle, and she can feel her stomach flipping once, twice, thrice, with the mischievous glint in Seulgi’s eyes. “Two of Korea’s blossoms flowering in the fashion world.” Seungwan snorts wholeheartedly, rolling her eyes at Seulgi as she prepares the flash for her camera. “I can’t believe I’ve been putting up with her crummy jokes for six years,” the Canadian snickers at Joohyun.
There’s a pause between the three of them, subtle yet there all the same, with the sound of the pond rippling through the greenhouse quietly. Joohyun can tell that Seulgi’s staring at her, appraising her with her sharp eyes, but she can’t bring herself to meet the photographer’s even stare. She can’t get lost in Seulgi now, especially in front of a stranger.
“I think this has to be one of my favorite locations so far, Seungwan-ssi,” Joohyun announces, gesturing towards the dark wood coffee table situated in front of them, adorned with two lit candle stands. “Ah,” the Canadian replied, giving Joohyun a grateful look before turning back to rummaging through her camera bag. “Thank you, Joohyun-ssi,” the purple haired woman gushed, “A compliment coming from you means the world to me.”
Seungwan straightens, then aligns herself parallel to the couch, looking through the viewfinder of the ginormous camera at them. “You guys ready?” That’s the only warning Joohyun and Seulgi receive before they’re bombarded with Seungwan’s unbridled drive. Joohyun quickly learned that the purple haired photographer had a boundless capacity of energy, and used it to her advantage. As she was in the midst of posing, Seulgi’s arms wrapped tenderly around her in a back hug on the soft, Joohyun began thinking of all the parallels between the two artists.
Seungwan’s flash went off every couple of seconds, whereas Seulgi’s hardly ever went off. The dark-haired woman had always favored natural light rather than artificial. Seungwan was quick and precise about her directions, where Seulgi left a little bit of ambiguity for Joohyun to have wriggle room with interpretation. Though it was different from what Joohyun was used to, the model found herself enjoying the spontaneous spirit of the shoot.
Within a hour, the three of them had finished. Or rather, Seungwan had run out of juice, having gone through two batteries for her camera, and as she was in the midst of offering to get another, the photographer realized just how drained her models looked. She fetched Joohyun and Seulgi bottles of ice cold water and cooled cuts of fruit for their hard work. “You guys were amazing,” Seungwan confessed as she handed each of them a plate.
Joohyun’s bewildered at how the younger woman is even still able to stand, impressed by Seungwan’s stamina. “I tend to get carried away when I see something great come out of the shot,” the purple haired woman confesses sheepishly, looking down at her shoes. Seulgi offers her friend a slice of pineapple, “No worries, Wannie. We all get in that zone when we’re creating.” Joohyun smiles at the budding photographer, “I can’t wait to see the results, Seungwan-ssi, I’m sure they’ll turn out beautifully.”
It turns out Seungwan is also speedy at downloading the images onto her laptop. Joohyun reminisces that it’s been ages since she’s had the pleasure of working with a photographer truly one on one. Seungwan had none of the huge camera crews and teams of people ready to spring into action over the development of the productions, the Canadian was only armed with her camera, her laptop, and few staff to help lug around her equipment and props. She walks arm in arm with Seulgi around the garden, the duo catching up for a few moments before they hear Seungwan eagerly calling for them.
“Oh my god,” Joohyun murmurs to herself, transfixed by the slideshow of images of her and Seulgi. Her grip on Seulgi’s forearm tightens as she bends closer towards the screen. Seungwan bites her lip nervously, unsure if the model’s reaction were good or bad. “Seungwan-ssi,” Joohyun begins, tracing a finger over the crisp image, “These are breathtaking.” Suddenly bashful, the Canadian dips her head, “They still have to go through post production, I need to tweak the brightness and the detailing a little bit before I release the photos.”
“Could you send me a few copies of these before you edit them?” Joohyun asks intently, pointing out a few of her favorites. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for the edited ones, Joohyun-ah?” Seulgi asks, eyeing the model from the other side of Seungwan. Joohyun shakes her head curtly, her mind made up. “No,” Joohyun murmured, “These are absolutely perfect.”
**
Out of all the photographs Seungwan had taken for her and Seulgi, Joohyun’s favorite was one of the few that didn’t make the cut for their front page feature and four page spreadsheet. Joohyun adds the issue of Dazed to her growing collection of pieces including her, setting the editorial on her bedside table. Joohyun had mentally added the greenhouse project to the list of her favorite photoshoots, allowing her fingers to flip through the pages in earnest.
Her phone buzzes, lighting up her new background, and the model can’t help but feel giddy at the sight. She drops the magazine and picks up her phone, staring at it with a sense of triumph washing over her.
The photograph shows off their side profiles, with Joohyun leaning against a wall of ivy, staring up at Seulgi, while the taller woman was cupping Joohyun’s chin softly with one hand, the other idle on Joohyun’s left shoulder. The focal point of the snapshot is the limited amount of space between her and Seulgi. Joohyun feels her cheeks flush at the sight of Seulgi’s blatant staring, focused on Joohyun’s lips rather than her eyes.
The picture depicted how lost in each other they were, how engrossed they felt. Needless to say, Seungwan didn’t send this one in for review, nor the one that took place right after that. Unlocking her phone screen to type back a response, Joohyun is greeted by the sight of the “forbidden photograph”, as Seungwan had cheekily dubbed it.
It makes her pause, thumbs hovering over the device, enthralled by her and Seulgi in the darkness of the greenhouse. She remembers the moment distinctly, etched into her consciousness forever. “May I?” Seulgi asked softly, digging her fingers into Joohyun’s shoulders ever so slightly. With the photographer’s eyes trained on Joohyun’s mouth, the model doesn’t have to ask to know what the other woman was implying.
Both of them had already begun leaning in, tilting their heads towards each other and closing the space between them. Though Seungwan was readying her camera, the pair seemed to have completely forgotten that the Canadian was there. Joohyun’s tongue darted out across her lips and Seulgi followed the motion hungrily.
She could feel Seulgi pushing her gently against the ivy wall, holding her hip instead of her shoulder, sliding a hand up against the column of her throat. “Yes, please,” Joohyun had whispered in response, her eyes glazing over from the warmth of the room and the heat radiating off of Seulgi.
Interrupted by the chiming of her ringtone and the appearance of Seulgi’s photograph popping up on her home screen, Joohyun answers the phone with her mind still filled with Seulgi’s searing kisses. “Joohyun-ah, I’ve been waiting downstairs in the lobby for five minutes,” Seulgi whined adorably over the phone as Joohyun listened intently.
The two had set up a date directly after Seungwan had bid them goodbye, and had settled for the same day Dazed would come out. Once they’d settled on the time and place, Seulgi nervously prompted the question of, “Joohyun-ah…will you be my girlfriend?” Joohyun had giggled, then pulled the other woman in to kiss her tenderly.
A smile stretched across her lips at the photographer’s complaining, “The paparazzi will know I’m here at this rate!” She straightened her outfit and walked out of her bedroom, into her kitchen. “I’ll be right down, Seulgi-yah,” Joohyun promised, hastily snatching up her car keys and purse from the kitchen counter. “Okay,” Seulgi replied enthusiastically, “I love you, see you soon!” Joohyun, balancing one hand on her phone and the other locking her apartment door, giggled. “I love you too, photographer extraordinaire.”