You've been dreaming of this job forever; why doesn't it feel right here in South Korea? You wake up everyday without the thrill of youth and float through white rooms with white faces for hours. You don't know how long it's been since you've felt overwhelmed by the glamour of K-pop.
Makeup artist for various idols. You're there before the lights turn on, hiding like a roach when they do. The next group you'll serve is BTS. Even though, you've never worked with the legendary group before, you feel more exhausted than excited.
"Hello!" Taehyung gleefully enters the room with the other six boys. When you make eye contact with him, you immediately notice that he does not have pupils. He gazes with snow globe eyes. Your intestines quiver in fear.
"Take a seat," one of the other makeup artists directs the boys to their respective vanities. Taehyung sits down in an empty seat right next to the one assigned to you. You stand behind a seat filled by Namjoon's glorious ass. His egghead stares at you through mirror with a slightly alluring expression. When he notices that you've caught him, he reverts to a welcoming appearance.
"Good morning. I'm assuming you want the same appearance that you usually have when performing." You grab your makeup brushes and set them on the table. Namjoon nods. You turn to fetch the necessary products.
You turn around. Namjoon holds a brush that used to have bristles in hand. His cheeks are full. He establishes his dominance by continuing to chew the brush hairs and winking. "Wow, a quirky one aren't you." You grab the useless brush from his and hands and toss it into the trash.
"Hey, somebody should've warned her," Jin says with pale powder on his cheeks. The artist near him yanks his head back into an acceptable position.
"She's probably seen worse," Yoongi remarks as he downs a bottle of NyQuil dry.
"Really? With a face that pure?" Taehyung leans over to you to whisper in your ear. "If you ask me, Namjoon has already taken a liking to you!" He leans back in his seat with a grin on his face and a contact lens in.
"You aren't the only one allowed to flirt with a cutie." Jungkook pouts.
The boys disappear into meaningless chatter except Namjoon. He is all too focused on you. You can see him flexing every limb he possibly can. His scrunched up face makes you afraid to touch him. You are not afraid that his skin will break out because it is sensitive; you are afraid that touching him will shatter you like glass.
You ignore this fear. That was your first mistake when handling Namjoon's calm before the storm. In the world of potty humor, your instinct would have guided you to the right path, the golden road. You chose the dirt road, baby.
Instead of leaving Namjoon's naked face alone, you attempt to place a powder foundation onto his skin. His face relaxes, but his body tenses up even more. The powder can't even stay in place with how this man is sweating the Atlantic Ocean.
"Are you alright, Namjoon?" You pull your brush away and examine his face. You swear that if you touched him again, the top of his head would blow off and he would erupt like a volcano.
"Namjoon?" Your voice is shaky this time. You notice Taehyung staring. Jin tugs on Taehyung's sleeve, but is ignored. Namjoon breathes out, the red disappearing from his face.
All he says is, "Okay." You wipe his face down. Then, you cautiously apply foundation like you normally do and he doesn't react. "So, how are you?" He asks.
"Fine. Are you doing okay?"
"Yeah. I'm doing wonderful with you here." He rocks his head back and forth like a bobblehead.
"Where are you performing tonight?"
"We're here to present."
"Oh, the award show. I remember now." You move close to him to apply his eye makeup. He sweats. He cries from his pores and God refuses to answer. "Excited?"
"Definitely!" His eyes squint with the curve of his smile. His sweat has turned him into the mustiest man you have ever worked with. He grins despite the continuous emission of possibly corrosive liquids. "We've never done something like this."
"We're getting pretty far, huh?" Hoseok interjects. "I wouldn't have expected that we'd be so successful."
You cannot respond. Namjoon screams. There is no light. Only brown.
