127 Records (Dropped)

Chapter 14: expression

"Who does that rookie think he is?"
"He can't even do anything!"

Lucas looked at the ground. He had never minded too much about others. Rumors and gossip have always followed him but his friends and family always knew he was an honest, responsible and kind person.

"Just ignore them. Don't listen. This is your moment. Make something out of it."
Jaehyun put on his sunny smile again.

Lucas glanced at Jaehyun's expression. He looked so overjoyed and radiated happiness. He couldn't help but smile along. Seeing someone smile so fondly and brightly was just so contagious.

Immediately, Key praised Lucas' expression. "Lucas, you're doing great! Keep that smile on!"
After a minute Key frowned. "Lucas, look at the front! You're looking at Jaehyun too much!"

Lucas' immediate reaction was to drop his smile. The feeling was easier to grasp when he could look at Jaehyun.

"Don't worry too much. Just be happy and enjoy this," Jaehyun put a hand on Lucas' shoulder and patted it reassuringly. Lucas calmed down a little and put on a light smile which earned him another small praise.

Suddenly, a great source of inspiration came in.
"Look, there's Jungwoo!"
Lucas' eyes immediately followed Jaehyun's hand and found Jungwoo who had just come in.

Jungwoo saw Lucas and gave a small wave with a smile. All of a sudden Lucas' expression changed to a lovestruck one full of joy and happiness which matched Jaehyun's bright smile.

Lucas thought about what he thought to have learned earlier when he watched Jaehyun.
Jaehyun not only smiled bright. He looked for the moment he looked the happiest and kept that on his face.
He looked away from Jungwoo but focused on keeping his facial muscles in place.

"We're finished! That last one was perfect, guys! Lucas, your last expression captured the emotion perfectly!" Key called out to them. Jaehyun immediately let go of his smile like a switch had been turned and walked off to remove his make-up and change his clothes.

Mark watched how Lucas had a harder time and looked his face had a cramp. Only after a short glance at Jungwoo did Lucas follow after him.

Soon the two came back and Jaehyun was back to his bubbly self while Lucas exchanged shy greetings with Jungwoo. Mark was actually starting think his new friend was bipolar.

"We're going to get something to eat now," Jungwoo announced. "Are you guys coming too?"
"We wouldn't dare to disturb your date," Jaehyun grinned.

"No, no. It isn't like that!" both Jungwoo and Lucas immediately argued.
"Th-the more the merrier! How about we invite Kun and Ten as well? Should we ask Taeyong-hyung?" Jungwoo suggested.

Jaehyun's face fell. Unconsciously, he put on a sad smile. "You know I can't be seen with hyung in public. But, thank you, Jungwoo."
"Taeyong?" Mark asked confused.
Jungwoo looked at the ground. He didn't mean to anger Jaehyun.

"You too enjoy your date," Jaehyun spoke up in the end. "I'm gonna take Mark to the studio. Ten told me yesterday that he'd like to meet Taeyong. I also think Ten is gonna be there today for work."

Taeyong? Studio? Mark was beyond confused. He was slow at times but this time he was almost certain that the mentioned studio was 127 Records, one of the upcoming record labels in town, and the mentioned Taeyong was the rapper Lee Taeyong he's been admiring for years.

"Let's go, Mark," Jaehyun put his arm around his shoulders and Mark almost screamed. He was quite surprised by the close friendship Jaehyun displayed.

Jaehyun also took Lucas to bid the coordinator goodbye. Jae encouraged Lucas to come again sometime. "You'll need some training but you're great and you look great. Don't give up!"

Lucas smiled proudly and let Jungwoo take him away to celebrate his first job.

Jaehyun stayed a little longer and talked a little to some other models.
Everybody seemed to know him here.
"Good work today, Jaehyun," a petite girl with blonde hair smiled at him.
"Good work, Yeri-sunbaenim," Jaehyun answered politely and smiled.

"Who was the rookie you brought? You were so caring today instead of your aloof self!" Yeri joked.
"Aloof? I'm always friendly!" Jaehyun argued.

"Yeah, you're friendly but you're also really distant. I've been trying to be your friend for some time now! I thought you had none!"

"That's a bit mean now. As you can see I do have friends. I just don't bring them to work since I'm working. Today was just an exception."

"Yeah, I've never seen you make an exception. I thought he was your boyfriend at first the way you were so attentive and smiled when you saw him!" Yeri giggled.

"No, he's not my boyfriend!" Jaehyun laughed but didn't bother to deny that he had no boyfriend at all. Or that he was gay.
"Mark is just a cute younger friend. He just graduated recently."

"He is pretty cute," the girl smiled at Mark. Mark smiled back in a friendly manner.
"Alright, we're gonna go now. It was nice chatting with you," Jaehyun ended the conversation.

"Yeah, it was nice. How about we meet for coffee sometime? I do want to get closer."
She smiled so sweetly, Mark wasn't sure what her intentions towards Jaehyun were.

"I'm sorry, sunbaenim, I don't meet with my co-workers outside of work," Jaehyun's smiled dimmed and Mark had to admit that he did indeed seem a little distant.

Jaehyun led Mark away to say goodbye to a few more people.
They finally left the set.

"Are you excited to meet Taeyong? Kun told us you were a big fan of his."
"If by Taeyong you mean the rapper Lee Taeyong then I'd be overjoyed! Like, he's my greatest idol. His rapping is just so perfect and the way he performs awes me every time! I've always wanted to meet him. Just meeting him is already so great! Just seeing him in person and hearing him talk. I really want to become a musician and when I do I really want to work with him someday. It's my greatest dream!" Mark babbled excitedly like a young child.

Jaehyun laughed. "But, you weren't this excited at the club."
"At the club?"
"Yeah, you weren't in awe when Taeyong talked at the club."

"Taeyong. Talked. At. The. Club," Mark repeated Jaehyun's words slowly like a broken recorder. He was trying to process those words.

"Don't you remember him? Tae wasn't that much an abstract name to go by. Well, I have to admit that you were pretty drunk so maybe you didn't recognize him. It was pretty dark as well."

Mark thought back to the night of his first drunken experience and the barely visible faces he spoke with. Jaehyun definitely fit the bigger silhouette he had in mind.

As for the smaller silhouette which had their arm linked with Jaehyun's and talked animatedly... Their excited chatter had had no similarity to the deep voice his favorite rapper used to spit rhymes whatsoever.

"That. Was. Lee. Taeyong." Mark looked as if his eyeballs were going to fall out and roll around anytime.

He suddenly remembered the night clearer. He remembered the closeness of the two and the way Tae had snuggled close to Jaehyun and had even placed a few kisses on the side of his neck.

"But, I thought that was your boyfriend," he blurted out.
Jaehyun laughed. "About that... Can you keep a secret?"

Jaehyun looked in front. Mark followed his gaze and saw that they had arrived at the building which inhabited the studios of 127 Records.

Note that I have no real professional experience in modeling whatsoever. So, all the modeling philosophy spit out in the last two chapters is from my imagination😬
But it sounds nice, doesn't it?😅