He stood up abruptly, pulling her up with him thanks to the handcuffs, and pinned her against the wall. His grip on her wrist tightened.
Ni-ki leaned in closer, his voice a cold whisper. "You're playing with fire, angel. Don't think for a second tha...
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THE LIGHTS FLASHED IN RAPID SUCCESSION as models shifted and posed beneath Ni-ki's watchful eye. He stood just off to the side, focused, his arms crossed as he analyzed every detail of NishiCo's newest fashion line being brought to life.
Rhaine shifted awkwardly by the makeup station, feeling out of place amid the whirlwind of activity.
She glanced around, uncertain of where to stand or what to do with herself. This was Ni-ki's world—he was completely in his element here, so assured and confident. Meanwhile, she felt like a shadow lingering on the edges.
She wondered how often he would bring Rei to these when they were together, to watch him work. It made her wonder how Rei would've acted.
Rei would've been much more comfortable than she currently was.
I need to stop thinking about her. Ni-ki said himself he didn't love her anymore.
Unbeknownst to her, Mr. Jin was observing her from across the room, his eyes narrowing with curiosity. As he studied her, his gaze softened slightly. For now, he chose to remain silent, more intrigued than concerned by what he was seeing.
"These women are beautiful," she whispered as she observed the models.
"Are they now?"
She jolted in surprise upon realizing that her boyfriend was suddenly next to her. "You scared me!"
He shrugged, "I'm a kumiho, we move fast."
Just as things were wrapping up, a flustered coordinator darted onto the set, her face pale with worry. She hurried over to Ni-ki, nearly tripping over herself in her rush. "Mr. Nishimura, we... we have an emergency," she swallowed.
Ni-ki's expression didn't waver. He remained calm, though his brow arched slightly. "What happened?"
"It's Jung Hoyeon," the coordinator explained, her voice quivering. "She canceled last minute. She had a conflict overseas and won't make it back in time. We were counting on her for the magazine cover, and the photos are due tomorrow night. Every other high end model is already booked."
A tense murmur spread among the crew as the realization sank in. Mr. Jin's ears perked up, and he folded his arms, watching the situation unfold with a shrewd glint in his eyes.
Ni-ki's jaw tightened for a moment, but he kept his composure. "Do we have anyone on standby?"
"No one with her level of presence," the coordinator replied, voice hushed. "She was the main focus."
Rhaine felt the tension in the room spike as she watched the frantic coordinator and Ni-ki, hoping he could find a solution. She knew how important this shoot was; losing Jung Hoyeon seemed like a disastrous setback.
After a beat, Ni-ki's gaze shifted to Rhaine, a thoughtful glint in his eye. "Rhaine," he began, his voice calm but serious, "how comfortable are you in front of a camera?"
