chineseink
Pairing: Mimin
Summary: Fashion AU. Lee Sungmin is the biggest name in the fashion industry.
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"I like this shot of you," his agent says. "We'll send this one in. Lee Sungmin is a huge influence in the industry right now; if we can get you as one of his models, you'll have made it big."
Zhou Mi smiles, easy and wide. "I thought I already made it big," he jokes, hooking his thumbs in the back pockets of his jeans.
His agent gives him a look over the top of her glasses. "Yes, Mimi, but there's a difference between making it big and being Lee Sungmin's model. People are just jealous of the former; they're willing to kill for the later." She slaps him lightly with the manila folder holding his head shots, resume, and portfolio.
Zhou Mi laughs and gives her a one-armed hug. "You know I love you," he says. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
***
His agent is worth more than her weight in gold, Zhou Mi determines two weeks later when he meets Lee Sungmin for the first time. His first impression is someone small, quick, and efficient. Sungmin is dressed in a white collared shirt, open at the throat, an unbuttoned suit jacket, and black jeans. He looks artfully casual, classy without the strains of "trying too hard" that Zhou Mi's seen before in some of the other designers.
The tech crew is busy, arranging lights and angling cameras to the artistic director's whim, but Sungmin is flitting from model to director to gofer so quickly that Zhou Mi can't catch a good look at his face until he stops in front of Zhou Mi with a sheaf of papers in on hand and a smile one his face.
Zhou Mi is knocked a little off-kilter by that smile, which is so bright, so sweet, that he's surprised Sungmin isn't a model. "Hi," Sungmin chirps at him, stretching out his free hand. "You must be Zhou Mi. I'm Lee Sungmin and I really look forward to working with you. You're going to make my clothes look great." He winks and Zhou Mi smiles back, reflexively, gripping his hand in a firm handshake.
"Thank you," he replies as smoothly as he can when he's distracted by the glitter in those mischievous brown eyes. He didn't expect Sungmin to be so young, either.
"Just follow me and I'll show you your wardrobe for today's shoot." Sungmin transfers his papers into the hands of a nearby gofer and waves her off. He's leaving Zhou Mi now, walking towards the other end of the room, where two rolling racks stand in a corner with a multitude of clothes. Zhou Mi follows him, slightly bemused. He's slightly disturbed by the fact that Sungmin has him off-balance like this: Zhou Mi is a people person. He's never been so put on edge by someone so innocent and harmless and friendly.
Sungmin puts a hand on Zhou Mi's wrist and Zhou Mi flinches, attention snapping back to the designer. Sungmin's smile is a little amused, a little mocking, as he flickers a sideways gaze at him. "You're too experienced to be nervous," he says as if he's known Zhou Mi all his life. "I don't work with inexperienced models." He pulls out a shirt without looking, a white one with long sleeves and silver-gray patterns across the chest.
"Hold this." He shoves the hanger into Zhou Mi's hands and pulls out three other hangers, a black jacket, a gray striped vest, and stylized black pants. "This, this, and this, and I need to find you a tie..." He moves as he speaks, his movements as cheerful as they are brisk. Zhou Mi watches him, eyes shadowed under his bangs.
There's something about Lee Sungmin, he thinks.
Sungmin turns around and grins at him again. "Here you go!" he announces triumphantly, depositing a tie in Zhou Mi's hands. "Go change and then let the stylists fix you up. I'll stamp you with the seal of approval before I let hyung get you in front of the camera." He moves past Zhou Mi and pats his ass, friendly.
This is the first time Zhou Mi has fallen this fast.
***
"You have a crush on your designer?" His ex laughs at him over the phone.
Zhou Mi groans. "Shut up, Kyuhyun. There's just something about...he's so cute, but he's so damn on top of everything too. He's got his act together, for sure. But, god he's cute. If you could see the way he smiles..." He sighs dreamily.
"You total and utter girl," Kyuhyun says, but under the disgust is fondness. "Invite me onto set one day, yeah? I have to see this lethal cuteness in action. God knows 'cute' is definitely your type."
***
The third week into their working relationship, Sungmin invites Zhou Mi and the rest of the models to drink with him after wrapping up for the day. He's sweet about it, enthusiastic, and no one can turn him down, even the legendary "Ice Princess" Jessica. So the three female models gather their jackets and their bags and follow Zhou Mi and Siwon down to the limo Sungmin calls up.
"It's not very subtle," he apologizes with a little laugh, "but it'll fit all of us. You can come to my flat, if you don't mind. I have a pretty decent stock of drinks."
Zhou Mi ends up next to Sungmin on the leather seat and he suddenly feels five years younger than his twenty-two years, geeky and awkward. His heart is racing a little too fast and he thinks his palms are even sweating; Sungmin has a thigh pressed against his and warmth is seeping through two layers of fabric. Zhou Mi swallows carefully and turns to talk to Siwon.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Mi sees Sooyoung lean forward to whisper something into Sungmin's ear. He looks away from Siwon when Sungmin bursts into laughter and Sooyoung tilts her head, grinning, her long hair spilling over her shoulders.
Zhou Mi hardly takes note of the classy, luxurious surroundings of Sungmin's condo. He is too busy trying to sip at his red wine through the bitter jealousy on his tongue as first Sooyoung then Sunny fight for Sungmin's attention. He knows they do it as a way to benefit themselves, but it still leaves him inexplicably sullen and tight-lipped. He is terse with Jessica and Siwon and excuses himself early, unable to decipher the look in Sungmin's eyes as the designer sees him out.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mi," Sungmin tells him.
Zhou Mi is fairly sure the softer tone of Sungmin's voice, the fondness, is only wishful thinking on his part. He sighs, clutching his jacket as he leaves the high-rise condo complex.
***
Four weeks into his job with Sungmin, a man dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans and a beanie walks onto set. A pass hangs around his neck. He greets Sungmin with a loud, "Yah! Sungminnie, guess who's here to visit."
Zhou Mi stands under the hot lights, trying not to sweat out his make-up, as he watches Sungmin bounce to his feet and exclaim in delight as he falls into the stranger's arms, laughing. He watches as Sungmin kisses the stranger, lightly, on the lips, and hugs him tight. "Hyukkie," he cries happily.
It's then that Zhou Mi knows for sure that he really and truly likes Sungmin, because it wouldn't hurt so much if it didn't.
***
"That's Lee Hyukjae," Kyuhyun tells him in exasperation. "He's only one of the most famous b-boys in the country. How do you not know these things?"
Zhou Mi pouts at him. "Look, I'm foreign, okay? Give me a break."
Kyuhyun rolls his eyes. "That might've been an excuse five years ago, Mimi, but you've been living and working in Seoul for ages." He easily beats Zhou Mi at the video game and lets his controller drop from his hands as the screen flashes Game Over! He turns to look at Zhou Mi, explaining patiently: "Lee Hyukjae is hugely famous, and so is Lee Sungmin and Lee Donghae. They're the Lee Trio? You know? Dance and fashion and football? They were best friends when they were little and all grew up to be rich and famous. There have been at least three magazine articles and news reports on them."
Zhou Mi grumbles, "Who has time to read trashy magazines? I spend all my time working to get in them." He kicks his feet off the floor and swing them until they're resting on Kyuhyun's lap.
"You're retarded. No wonder I broke up with you."
Zhou Mi nudges him with a foot. "No, I broke up with you. You weren't cute enough for me, remember?"
"You weren't manly enough for me," Kyuhyun retorts, on cue. This is a familiar argument for them, now that they've passed the awkward stage of post-breakup.
"Okay," Zhou Mi concedes. "Kibum is pretty manly."
Kyuhyun grins in triumph. "Now about your relationship problems. Work problems..." He looks thoughtful. "This is so unprofessional of you, you know."
Zhou Mi groans and slings an arm over his face. "Please don't remind me."
***
"Mi," Sungmin says one day, catching Zhou Mi by the arm. "Do you mind staying after a bit? I want to talk to you."
Uncertain, Zhou Mi only nods and smiles. "Sure." Like he will deny Sungmin anything he asks.
When most of the crew is gone, and the lights are dimmed, Sungmin pulls Zhou Mi into his office. Zhou Mi follows, lulled by Sungmin's quiet smile and the reassurance of his hand on Zhou Mi's elbow. His eyes trace a familiar path on Sungmin's face, headily affectionate, accompanying the lazy turnover of Zhou Mi's heart. He's so lost in the warmth of his feelings that when Sungmin reaches up to cup the back of Zhou Mi's neck, Zhou Mi doesn't realize that they're kissing until Sungmin's mouth is on his, moving gentle and open.
***
What does this mean? is the question that plagues Zhou Mi for the rest of the week. He frets and stays up late, scribbling song lyrics onto scrap pieces of paper, wishing he can put these words to music. He puts on a professional facade at work, but the noonas click their tongues over the dark circles that form under his eyes.
Sungmin keeps his distance, but there is a small, sad twist to his lips. Zhou Mi wonders if he's imagining this too, or if maybe he's known nothing all along.
***
It's Friday and Zhou Mi is tired of being confused. He corners Sungmin before work starts that morning, as people are still filtering onto set, sleepy, bleary, and clinging to their cups of coffee. Zhou Mi is awake, uncomfortably so, because being on edge and afraid you're about to throw your entire career away on someone who might matter more, even if your agent will kill you, is a little nerve-wracking. Zhou Mi is too tense to be sleepy; too anxious to be anything but awake.
"Zhou Mi," Sungmin says haltingly as he sees Zhou Mi waiting in front of his office door. Sungmin pushes his designer sunglasses to the top of his head and weighs Zhou Mi with his gaze. He looks calm and collected, as if he hasn't experienced even a fraction of the inner conflict Zhou Mi has gone through in the past few days.
But there is a telltale downward turn of his mouth, which Zhou Mi catches. He doesn't ask himself if he's imagining it this time. He goes with his gut instinct.
"Sungmin-sshi," he says as lightly as possible, because Sungmin dispensed with the more formal titles during the first week. He smiles a little, afraid it may be wavering. "I like you, Sungmin-sshi," he confesses quietly, dipping his head slightly. He leans one arm against the wall and peers at Sungmin from under his lashes.
There is a window in the hallway, and the early morning sunlight glitters in Sungmin's light brown, artfully styled hair. There is a flash, as Sungmin moves, and the glitter blinks in and out of existence, melting away into the dark brown of the miniature spikes.
"I like you too, Mimi," Sungmin whispers, smiling brightly. He is in Zhou Mi's personal space, rearranging the air until Zhou Mi feels like he can't breathe properly just by looking down at those eyes, that face, that smile.
When Sungmin reaches his hand up this time, Zhou Mi knows to expect it. He leans down into the kiss, and it is the first heartstoppingly perfect moment of Zhou Mi's life. Then he breathes again, and his heart races into triple time, and Sungmin curls his fingers around the back of Zhou Mi's neck, and everything is suddenly so much more real, a rush of sensation so powerful it almost hurts.
Zhou Mi kisses Sungmin, and he falls in love.
***
They mean to keep it secret and it stays that way, more or less, until the scandal explodes three weeks later. By then, though, the project is over and Zhou Mi has finished the multiple photoshoots with Sungmin for his product line. The media eats it up, and Jessica says some things that her company makes her apologize for, but Siwon gives Zhou Mi a hug when they run into each other at an industry cocktail. Sunny winks at him and gives him a thumbs up, and Kyuhyun, Zhou Mi's date for the evening, threatens to turn heterosexual to date her.
"Why do you make my life harder," Zhou Mi complains pitifully, making a face at the ex who has somehow become his best friend.
"I have to get something out of replacing your real date," Kyuhyun replies. "You don't think this tuxedo is comfortable, do you?"
Zhou Mi says, "Fine. Let's skip out." Because there are times when he just doesn't care, and this is one of those times, because leaving the party means he can spontaneously buy tickets to Tokyo and surprise Sungmin at his hotel.
Sungmin says, "What the fuck?" when Zhou Mi cheerfully tells him over the phone that he's in Japan. He pulls open the door to his suite and stares in disbelief, cell phone dangling from his hand. But the disbelief dissolves into laughter and kisses as Zhou Mi hugs him and tumbles him onto the sofa.
"You're fucking over your career like this," Sungmin tells him, nibbling on his ear.
"I can afford to do something like this." Zhou Mi shrugs and rolls them over so Sungmin is on top of him, legs sliding down to straddle Zhou Mi's hips. Zhou Mi beams at him. "I have the best agent in the world. She hooked me up with you, after all."
Sungmin laughs. "I knew I wanted you as soon as I saw the picture," he murmurs into Zhou Mi's mouth.
"Well, you have me now." Zhou Mi smiles.
