Crybaby

4 - Photoshoot

After landing, the group was taken directly to the magazine photoshoot by a shuttle service. The shoot was indoors, with a relatively simple theme: casual clothes, "boy next door" style. Pastel colors, light tones, warm and friendly lighting. The main focus was to capture the group in various settings, but there would also be close-ups of individuals and pairs later on.

Unfortunately, Wooyoung’s condition worsened. His circulation had already been unstable at the airport. Now it was obvious: cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he was so pale that even the thick makeup couldn't hide it. Despite needing to sit down frequently, he gritted his teeth and powered through in front of the camera.

Yunho felt a deep sympathy for him. Watching others suffer always moved him greatly. He had this inner compulsion to care for others, a trait he couldn't shake off—always the big brother. He tried to support Wooyoung during breaks and discreetly kept an eye on him during the shoot, offering a steadying hand here and there.

Aside from this issue, the shoot went smoothly and was surprisingly relaxed for such an important magazine. There were assigned pairs for the couple shots, but the photographer and art director decided to let the boys choose their own pairings at the end. These photos could be used for social media. However, time was running short, leading to a bit of chaos.

Mingi turned to Yunho, wanting to take pictures together. But Yunho was supporting Wooyoung, who was leaning heavily on him, his eyes vacant, barely present. As time went on, Wooyoung’s condition deteriorated further, and Yunho couldn’t leave his side, even though he would have loved to do a shoot with his best friend. San and Yeosang had just finished their shots, and there was a hectic changeover on set. Yunho looked into Mingi’s eyes and shook his head with an apologetic smile. Then he went in front of the camera with Wooyoung, leaving Mingi standing there with a stony expression.

--

When the arived at the hotel late in the evening Wooyoung went straight to his room to rest after the photoshoot. His dizziness had turned into a severe headache.

The others decided to have a nightcap at the hotel bar. It was a classic move, following the motto: if you're going to do it, do it right. Plus, a drink after such a long and hectic day could really help them relax and sleep better.

They settled into a sort of secluded area to remain as unnoticed as possible. Two of the staff members sat at a table in front of them for security, ready to spot and fend off fans or paparazzi if necessary. They each ordered different drinks - cocktails, whiskey, beer. Since they were all exhausted, the numbing feeling of alcohol they sought set in quickly.

"At least the photos turned out well. At least from what I've seen," Seonghwa said, taking a sip of his fruit cocktail.

"Definitely, I'm curious to see the result in the magazine," San added.

"We just have the interview tomorrow left," Jongho chimed in, swirling his whiskey as if he knew what he was doing.

"We'll manage that too," Hongjoong replied.

"I hope Wooyoung feels better tomorrow. It was shit seeing him struggle today," San said thoughtfully, not paying attention to his use of a curse word. It seemed no one minded, as the others just nodded.

"Speaking of which, the pictures of Wooyoung and Yunho at the end turned out the best," Seonghwa added, with Yeosang nodding in agreement. But Mingi let out an annoyed snort, causing everyone to look at him in confusion. "Do you see it differently, Mingi?"

Mingi sighed and shook his head. It was evident that even Hongjoong, who seemed tired himself, had less patience than usual: "Mingi... what's wrong?"

Mingi leaned forward, placing his beer on the low table in the middle: "Okay. I just want to make it clear: this has nothing to do with Wooyoung, and the photos did turn out really nice," he said, looking around the group. The others nodded.