Lee Jeno is well known for his iconic catwalks and breathtaking outfits. Right when the New York Fashion Week booked him, his stylist resigned. The staff made the arrangements to hire a new designer. He was a practitioner but his references were gre...
The altercation inside the dressing rooms alerted the staff. When Mark opened the door he found Jeno still holding Jaemin by the face. Jeno's pale skin was now red, signaling how pissed off he was.
"Jeno, what are you doing? Let go of him." Mark snatched Jaemin from Jeno's grip. "Jaemin, what happened?"
"I accidentally made a wrong cut on Mr. Lee's suit. I was trying to explain how I could fix it but he wouldn't allow it." Jaemin wanted to cry but he didn't want to ridicule himself even more.
"Well, that's pretty serious, Jaemin. That was his dress for the opening runway. What are we supposed to do now?"
"Here's what we're going to do: get him out of my sight before I lose it again. And listen to me clearly... I will make sure to bury your career deep in the ground. No one will ever hire you and kiss goodbye that little degree of yours." Jeno walked outside the dressing room to grab some fresh air.
"I suggest you do as he says. We appreciate your time, we'll let you know if we need anything else." Mark gently patted Jaemin's shoulder.
"What if I told you I could make him a better outfit than the one he had initially?" Jaemin knew how absurd that sounded.
"I would probably laugh about it, I guess? You can't be serious." Mark stared at Jaemin, waiting for him to clarify.
"Listen, I know I already messed up big time. I'm also aware about my lack of experience, but I just need one chance. Just one." Jaemin didn't have anything else to lose. He had already been humiliated in front of a complete staff.
"Okay, fine. But work on that far away from here. I can stall Jeno a bit, but you only get two hours. Call me when you're ready." Mark went looking for Jeno to check on him.
Jaemin left the studio, heading home where he had all of his materials. While he was under Ten's supervision he had shown outstanding skills. Ten always took some credit with the sewing work, but Jaemin's creativity had never been seen before in his academy.
Jaemin finally got to his apartment, where his roommate was waiting for him.
"How did your gig go?" Chenle was a graphic design student, but every now and then he would help Jaemin doodle some designs.
"I made a fool of myself but that's not the point. I need your help or I'm in huge trouble." Jaemin left all his things on the couch to go look for his drawing pad.
"Wait, go back? What is it exactly that happened?" Sometimes Jaemin didn't understand how Chenle was the best in his class; he got distracted by the smallest things.
"Are you going to help me or not?!" Jaemin sat next to his friend in his working space.
While Jaemin explained his vision, Chenle doodled around the pad. As he remembered Jeno's sculpted torso, he envisioned a black suit covered with rhinestones. He wouldn't dare hide his breathtaking pectorals, so his suit was meant to be worn without a shirt underneath. To complete the look, Jeno would wear fitted pants that would hug his legs perfectly. Jaemin kept rambling but Chenle was almost done with the draft.
"Is this what you saw in your mind?" Chenle had done a great job creating the design.
"This is why you're the best. I owe you a big one." Jaemin grabbed his pad to go to his room. His apartment was already too small for him and his materials. He had been living by himself during his college days but he could hardly make it to the end of the month with his scholarship. That's when he decided to post an ad looking for a roommate. Chenle contacted him that same day and the rest is history.
Jaemin was running against the clock. He only had an hour left and the outfit wasn't even halfway done. The rhinestones he visualized were a pain to stick to the clothes. He didn't imagine his first work experience would be this horrifying, but what better way to prove his skills than this?
He was almost done with the suit when he felt his phone buzzing in the back of his pants. It was a message from Mark.
"Time is running out. Please be there with that outfit or my job is on the line."
As if he needed more pressure, Mark's message made his hands shake. He blocked any other distraction to focus on finishing that dress before the deadline. He needed to impress that jerk who doubted his capacities.
The tension in the studio could be cut with a scissor. Jeno had dismissed everyone but Mark and Donghyuck. He confided in them whenever he felt vulnerable.
"I have to be honest; this is the worst thing that has happened to my career. I did put up with a lot of shit when I quit my idol career, but this is way worse." Jeno's voice revealed how defeated he felt.
"You need to relax or you will grow a pimple with all this stress." Donghyuck's sassy attitude always stole a smile from Jeno.
"I'm being serious, Hyuck. What will I do now without an outfit? The designer already told me he wouldn't provide a new one, it was disclosed in our agreement."
"I promise we'll figure it out. You just have to trust me on this one." Mark understood the pressure Jeno had, since he felt it twice in his shoulders. When he checked his phone it was time for Jaemin to arrive but he hadn't called. Could it be possible he couldn't put up with the challenge?
"Whatever, just call everyone. We'll put together an outfit with the clothes I brought." Mark was dialing the staff when he saw a blonde guy standing on the door, knocking aggressively.
"You got it?" Mark asked from the door.
"I did. Can I hand it to him myself?" Jaemin's only wish was to show Jeno what he was capable of.
"I don't know about th..." Before Mark could finish Jaemin was already getting to Jeno.
"You are one shameless person. How dare you come back to my studio after the mess you made?" Jeno shortened the space between them, making Jaemin nervous.
"I didn't come here to listen to any more of your disrespect. I came because I am a professional and a man of word. I designed the dress I promised and here it is." Jaemin offered the bag that held the suit.
"And you really think I will wear the design of a nobody in such an important event?" Jeno laughed sarcastically.
"It's your choice. Either you wear my design or go down that runway with a butchered outfit." Jaemin knew Jeno would give in eventually, he wouldn't hurt his career by canceling his appearance.
"You seem a little too confident. Do you know who you're talking to?"
"I know who you are. The problem is that you think you're too good to give people opportunities. You haven't even looked at my design, but you're already rejecting it."
"I don't need wise words from a rookie. Get out of my studio."
"This rookie is about to save your career. Have a good evening Mr. Lee." Jaemin turned around, making a triumphal exit.
