Taste | Changbin

Chapter Eighty

By the time Lennon was finishing up Seungmin's makeup, 3racha entered the makeup room. She refused to look at them and continued doing what she was doing. "Make sure you close your mouth and stop breathing for a moment." 

Her thumb pressed the plastic nozzle and a clear spray rained onto Seungmin's face. She fanned her hand by his face a few times and gave him one last look. "Alright, I think you're good now. What do you think?" She moved out of the way, so he could see himself in the mirror. 

"I hate the setting spray. Every time you use it, I nearly die. It makes me feel wet and gross." 

"I know, I'm sorry, but I have to use it, so the makeup stays." 

"I know, I know, I just hate it." He forced himself out of the chair and stood up to join the rest of the band. 

It didn't take long before Han took his place in the chair. "Hi, Lennie, how was your nap?" 

"Oh, you know," she shrugged, "it was a nap." 

"But was it a good nap?" 

"I suppose so." She uncapped the plastic bottle of primer and squirted some on her hands. "How was your meeting?" 

"It was uh..." he paused with wide eyes. "Well, you know, it was definitely a meeting." His fingers curled around each other on his lap nervously. 

"It was about me, wasn't it?" 

"No!" 

She raised an eyebrow. 

His shoulder slumped, "it was about Changbin too." 

She didn't further question him about it and he didn't say anything about it. She continued doing his makeup like normal. He started talking about the bus ride and how Chan had beaten him and Felix at Uno multiple times.  

She grabbed the bottle of setting spray and began to spray it. 

"And that's wh-" His eyebrows furrowed with disgust while lips curled into a displeasured frown. "That's why you should never play Uno with Chan," he finally got out. He added a cough into the mix. "That stuff tastes like shit." 

"It's not meant to be consumed." 

"Clearly," he fanned the liquid away from his face. "That was so gross, but thank you. Are the other guys waiting backstage already?" 

"I believe so." 

"I'll see you after the show," he hurried towards the door. 

Lennon placed her attention back to the makeup on her desk. She sprayed a sanitizer on a brush and shook it off. The sound of shoes scuffing caused her to glance up. Changbin gave her a sheepish smile from the makeup chair. "Hey..." 

"Hi." 

She grabbed the primer and opened it up. "Did management get pissed at you?" 

"Well, they weren't exactly happy that they found out through Twitter." 

"And you're still employed?" 

"Well, obviously." 

"Am I still employed?" 

His face dropped at her words. Her heart dropped along with his face. "Should I even still be here?" 

"They're trying to figure out what to do right now." 

"I see," her words barely came out in a whisper. Another lump built back up in her throat. She ignored it and applied the liquid to his skin. 

"Listen, you're not going to be fired. Chan and Han were very insistent that we needed you as our makeup artist. You haven't caused us any problems and we love you." 

"As much as I appreciate it, that's not for you to decide. That's not your decision to make. I'm sure they'll come to their conclusion at some point and I'll have to deal with the consequences. It's my fault for being so reckless anyway." 

Strong arms slithered around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "You weren't the only one who was reckless, we both were. This won't break us, I won't allow it, I promise." 

"He's right, you know?" Chan's voice came from a couch across the way. "Sorry to eavesdrop, but this won't be the end of your career. We won't let that happen and we'll go on a mini strike if we have to." 

"I can't ask you guys to do that. You can't put your career on the line for me. Whatever happens, it'll happen when it happens." She shimmied out of Changbin's grip. "Right now, I need to focus on doing your makeup." 

Without another word, she let Changbin talk while she finished his makeup. Deep purple smeared along his eyelids and made his brown eyes pop. Heavy eyeliner lined his waterline and around his eyelid. He got out of the chair and let Chan take his place. The three of them continued to talk while she completed Chan's makeup. 

"Alright," she misted a last bit of setting spray, "you're all good. You have about twenty minutes until the concert starts and the two of you need to get mic'd up. I've got to put this stuff away and I'll meet you back stage." She picked up an eye shadow palette to close it. 

"Wait!" Changbin cried. 

She glanced up with wide eyes thinking she might have forgotten something. He grabbed her cheeks and pulled her face up to his. Bending down, he placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I promised you that I wouldn't forget that again." 

Blush appeared on her cheeks. "Well, I appreciate it, but don't do that again. You're going to ruin your makeup." 

He huffed, rolled his eyes, and dramatically turned towards the door. 

"I'll see you backstage!" She called after him. 

"You better!" 

"Come on, Changbin, we've gotta go. Our manager just texted me, he's started to get stressed because we're not there yet." Chan opened up the makeup door. 

"Bye, babe!" 

"Bye! Break a leg, you two!" 

Chan saluted her and pulled Changbin into the hall. He blew Lennon a quick kiss before the door slammed in his face. She let out a chuckle and went back to the makeup products. 

That man was going to be the death of her.