Don't Smile

2. [NAMJOON] Pose

It is on the flight back to Seoul that Hoseok tells Namjoon of the new project in collaboration with Kim Seokjin's circle, and the model's reaction is anything but delighted.

"Hoseok, you know that I trust you," comes Namjoon's increasingly exasperated voice. "But this? Why do you even need me for it? They'd be all set with Seokjin anyway."

Hoseok raises an eyebrow. "Is that a ghost of a compliment for Kim Seokjin I hear? That's rare, coming from you."

"Don't change the subject," Namjoon snaps. "There's no way in hell that we'd be working peacefully together."

"Look, Joon," says Hoseok. "I talked with the charity organizers and Kim Seokjin's agent. We came to the agreement that this deal should be joint because of media clearance."

"What?"

"Clearing up the murky waters between you two," Hoseok clarifies. "Publicity, Joon. You want good publicity."

"So making up with Seokjin guarantees me good publicity?"

"Bigger deals," Hoseok says. "They like models who can play nice, you know? It's about your social presence. Plus, it's for a good cause, and they made it clear that they want both you and Kim Seokjin. After all, you're the two most requested as of current."

Namjoon sinks back into his seat, mindlessly shifting his eyes to his open window, from where he can see the frothy clouds rolling past the plane wings against the stark blue sky. He could care less about what people thought of him, but Hoseok has begun to sound a bit desperate. "When are we going to have a formal meeting?" he asks.

Hoseok brightens a fraction, no doubt in his mind that Namjoon was starting to get on board. "A few days after we land! Then once your schedules finally line up, we'll start the project immediately."

"Okay," Namjoon replies. "I'll do it, no more complaint."

"Awesome!" Hoseok cries.

"But only because it's for charity, and because you're my friend, too."

Hoseok smiles brightly at that. "You're a good guy."

Namjoon scoffs and lightly nudges him in the shoulder. "Thanks. Not like I had too much of a choice, either."

They spend the rest of the flight in companionable quiet, soft conversations of the pending meeting lighting up here and there.

For Namjoon, though he doesn't let it show on his face, the grim prospects of Kim Seokjin loom over his thoughts, which grow heavier and heavier in his running, losing mind.

Their mutual ire began as a one-sided affair, with Kim Seokjin igniting his own duress in the wake of Namjoon's sudden catapult into the modeling stratosphere some years ago. To say the other model must have felt threatened at the time is—perhaps only to Namjoon—the understatement of the century. Eventually, the older model's virtually baseless provocations led to Namjoon's own pushback, and now, their less-than-amiable relationship (or lack thereof) seems rather irreparable.

However, that history is growing thinner, more gaunt as it ages.

There's no helping it, Namjoon thinks blandly to himself. I guess I'll see what happens, and take it from there.

He presses the back of his head into the cheap neck pillow, letting his eyes fall closed, the titillating orchestral music from his earbuds easing his mind into a dim and peaceful rest.

•

They arrive back in Seoul while the weather calls for light drizzles of rain. The sky is the color of dried heather buds.

Taehyung sits atop his luggage, yawning wide and oddly melodic. "What I wouldn't give for my bed right now," he groaned. "Flights always give me such a crick in the neck."

"You should try investing in a neck pillow," Namjoon tells him. "Does wonders."

"I should, I should," Taehyung muses aloud.

Meanwhile, Hoseok bounces over to the two, coming straight from a kiosk with a cup of steaming coffee in each hand. "Joon, I got us coffee!"

Taehyung frowns. "Nothing for me?"

"I can head back and ask them about the smoothie options," Hoseok reassures.

"Much appreciated." Taehyung tips an imaginary hat towards the manager.

"Anyway, Joon, there's—"

Hoseok's cellphone starts to ring.

"Oh!" Hoseok sets the coffees down and scrambles to take his phone out of his suit pocket. "Uh, hello? Ah, Yoongi-ssi, good to hear from you—okay, cool. We just landed, actually. Yeah. Push it for earlier? I think we can. Okay. Right. Okay, awesome! See you then. Bye."

Namjoon frowns. "Was that Kim Seokjin's agent?"

"Sure was." Hoseok puts his phone away and tidies up his tie, which was slightly crooked from his previous rush. "It seems like we'll be meeting them sooner than we expected."

"How soon?" Namjoon presses.

Hoseok smiles sheepishly at the model. "Like, tomorrow."

Namjoon's eyes nearly bug out of his head in shock. "What—tomorrow?"

Taehyung looks between the two of them curiously, sensing an oncoming scuffle. "Um, I'll just go get myself that smoothie while you two work it out. Ciao!" Taehyung hightails it out of there, rounding the corner and disappearing from sight.

Namjoon groans, sliding his fingers over his temples. "Hoseok—"

"Look, Joon, the sooner we kickstart the meeting, the sooner this collaboration will be done. Over with. Okay?" Hoseok pleads.

Namjoon deeply sighs—he's been doing that a lot lately, and it doesn't help that fate seems to be conspiring against him more and more with each day that passes. Hoseok's eyes are wide and hopeful, like a miserable child who'd just been given the opportunity to nab a toy they'd wanted for ages. "Fine," Namjoon ekes out, trying his hardest not to visibly cringe. "We'll meet them tomorrow."

Hoseok's relief is palpable, as his shoulders lose their tension like water sliding off a ledge. "You won't regret this, Namjoon. I'll make sure of it."

"See to it that you do. Otherwise, since we're apparently past the point of no return, I'll be wallowing in my own misery and retire early."

Hoseok's laughter bursts. "Ah, it won't come to that."

"Right," Namjoon amusedly replies. "Can you go get Tae? Whatever disaster he suspected won't come to pass after all."

Hoseok nods. "I'll get right on it. Oh, and Joon?"

"Hm?"

"Call it what you like, but I have this prophetic feeling that this won't go the way you expect it to."

Namjoon scoffs. "Is that so?" I didn't realize you were a soothsayer now."

Hoseok grins at him, nonplussed.

"Well, my friend, the world works in ways beyond our understanding."