Boyfriends-In-Law | Jayhoon [Ongoing]

6.3: Bonding

This chapter is a bit longer than usual

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The photoshoot had turned into an absolute battlefield. Sunghoon and Jay were mentally and physically exhausted. They'd been repositioned more times than they could count, and with every single snap of the camera, Shuhua would critique them.

Shuhua's sighs and mutters of frustration seemed endless as she stood in front of them, looking like she was ready to strangle them both with the camera strap. "Sunghoon, Jay, relax your shoulders! You look like you're about to fight someone!"

Sunghoon, trying his best to look natural, immediately straightened up, his muscles stiffening. He exchanged a glance with Jay, both of them silently screaming on the inside.

"Why are you so tense? Jay, you're supposed to be close, not standing two feet away!" Shuhua said, her tone sounded like she was coaching a pair to become professional actors. "You two look like I'm forcing you into a hostage situation, not a couple photoshoot."

Sunghoon tried not to roll his eyes, but Jay wasn't as restrained, muttering, "We're doing our best here!"

"Oh, really?" Shuhua gave him a look. "Because I'm getting less 'in love' and more 'we just met five minutes ago and don't know where to put our hands.' This pose is all wrong. Try... I don't know... try holding hands. And make it natural!"

Sunghoon let out a resigned sigh as he extended his hand, feeling a little like a mannequin. Jay took it, looking equally robotic, and they stood there awkwardly, faces frozen in what could generously be called "pained smiles."

"That's worse!" Shuhua threw her hands up. "It looks like you're afraid to catch a disease from each other. Can't you two get a little closer? I need some chemistry here!"

Jake and Soobin, lounging nearby, exchanged a look and snickered. Jake cupped his hands around his mouth and mockingly called out, "Yeah, you two are looking super in love! Try harder or maybe... just try."

Soobin, narrowing his eyes at them with an exaggeratedly disgusted look, added, "I'd believe you more as mortal enemies than as a couple. Just saying."

Sunghoon shot them both a glare. "You're not helping."

Sunoo, the one who'd volunteered to be "supportive," wasn't helping much either. He was watching the disaster unfold with an ice-cream in his hand, looking thoroughly entertained.

"You guys look like you're in the middle of a bad high school play," Jake quipped again, his tone oozing with sarcasm.

Jay groaned. "Thanks, guys, for the support," he muttered, trying not to laugh at how absurd everything had become.

After a few more failed attempts at looking even remotely comfortable, Shuhua exhaled sharply. "Alright, new plan! Let's change places. Maybe the scenery will fix... whatever this is." She gestured at the awkward, stiff poses.

She had them move to a new spot - a park bench this time. "Jay, sit next to Sunghoon. No, not like that! You're too far away. You two look like you're on a casual business meeting."

Jay sighed, slouching dramatically, and moved closer to Sunghoon. But it wasn't helping. Their poses were stiff, their smiles were awkward, and their eyes kept darting around like they were both stuck in the middle of an uncomfortable social gathering.

"Seriously, I swear, if you two look like this in the final photos, I'm going to lose my mind," Shuhua said, half-heartedly snapping another shot.

They tried everything yet still looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. Sunghoon's arm was awkwardly draped over Jay's shoulder, and Jay was doing his best not to cringe. It didn't help that Soobin was still squinting at them, while Jake loudly muttered "romance tips" in the background that sounded suspiciously like insults.