makeup artist

4

april 12th, 2022

dal had fallen into a simple rhythm over the past month. it was waking up in the morning, quickly eating breakfast before spending half an hour admiring himself while he got ready, slipping in his headphones before getting out of his house and heading to work.

hoping out of the bed, dal's blue pajama pants hung around his hips, bare torso catching the cool ac as dal wrapped his arms around himself. "why is the house so cold." he singsonged, twirling around the house and into the kitchen. opening the cupboard, he grabbed a box of cereal, pouring it in a bowl before grabbing the milk and splashing it on top.

checking his phone, dal panicked at the late time, hurriedly eating the rest of his bowl before throwing it into the sink and racing to his bedroom. "i really fucked up," dal groaned, grabbing a white dress shirt, putting on a cardigan and tie while jumping into a pair of baggy grey jeans. "do i have everything?" he sang, dotting concealer under his eyes, blending out the base as he put on a powder blush and gloss. looking into the mirror, he looked up and down at himself, fixing his hair quickly.

checking his phone, dal ran to the front, pulling on his sneakers before running out, the cardigan slipping of his shoulder as he ran to the bus stop. "wait for me!" dal screamed, the bus starting its engine. finally getting to the door, he bowed, dal swiping his card before sitting in his standard seat before sliding his headphones in.

the phone started buzzing in his lap, dal picking it up to see jangmi's nap displayed across it. "noona, i'm on the bus right now." "dal, i'm not going to be there today." dal's face fell slack, quickly recomposing himself. "what do you mean?" "they called me last minute to work somewhere else in the company today. they're evaluating staff that are not in any official position today." "holy shit." he muttered, looking out the window, tapping his feet anxiously.

"i'm sorry." "no, it's not a problem! i'll do great and make you proud." jangmi laughed, dal's heart calming down from it's racing pace. "i believe in you. get to work safe." "i promise noona." happily saying goodbye, dal hung up, the bus stopping in front of the company. "i'm really going to need that luck." he said, running across the road and into the company, bag slipping off his shoulders.

☆☆☆

"i'm here. i'm here." dal said, heavily breathing as he entered the studio, wooseok smiling nervously. "we're fucked." nodding, dal put his bag down, the door opening to the supervisor with a clipboard in her hands. "good morning. seventeen should be here soon. do your best." the stylists nodded, bowing as she took her spot in the back of the room. my hearts going to explode out of my chest. dal thought, his mind racing as the group entered, the whites of his eyes showing. mingyu came to his seat, dal bowing. "is jangmi not here today?" fuck.

"no, she was busy." mingyu made a face of realization, dal's hand shaking as he picked up the bottle of primer. "are you sure you're okay?" he asked, m/n letting out a deep breath as he pushed back mingyu's bangs. "they're doing evaluations for us today and i'm extremely worried." grabbing dal's free hand, mingyu stroked his knuckles, dal internally panicking at the new feeling. "you're going to do great." nervously chuckling, dal pulled his hand away, grabbing concealer and applying it to his face. "thank you. i really mean it." mingyu smiled, dal setting his makeup.

"how was your morning?" dal laughed, grabbing the eye shadow pallet. "decent enough. i was almost late even though i woke up at the same time i always do- wait are you trying to distract me?" laughing, mingyu closed his eyes as dal applied the pigment. "did it work?" chuckling, dal cleaned up the fallout, a bright smile on his face. "i guess it worked. how was your morning?" "good. better now that i'm talking with you."

"are you flirting with me?" "maybe." a blush appeared on dal's face, checking his reference sheet before looking at mingyu. "and i think you're good." he smiled, patting mingyu's shoulder, the supervisor to come over and check. "you can step out dal." bowing, he grabbed wooseok's hand, stepping into the hallway.

"i'm going to fucking die." wooseok groaned, fanning his face. "oh my lord i completely agree." dal agreed, chugging his water. "give me some." passing the water toward wooseok, dal groaned, sliding down the wall and putting his head in between his legs. "i'm going to be sick." he exclaimed, wooseok rubbing his back. so many feeling were running through his stomach. anxiety being the main one, but there were lacings of happiness and a fluttering feeling as well. he couldn't seem to put his name on it. not jitters, but maybe they were. could it be attraction? sure, mingyu was pretty and nice, but he surely couldn't be getting emotions to bubble up.

dal laughed, the door opening with wooseok giving him an disturbed look. "you can come back in." an employee said, wooseok and dal walking in together. "so how are you feeling?" mingyu asked, dal chuckling. "my stomach is at my feet but other than that i'm amazing!" laughing, mingyu patted his back, grabbing his bag and digging out a sharpie. "here." he said, dal laughing. "are you giving me your autograph for completing a traumatic event?" "not quite. can you hand me your forearm?"

extending his arm, mingyu gently grasped the limb, uncapping the pen with his teeth. writing multiple numbers, dal realized it was a number, mingyu smiling and walking away. "see you tomorrow, okay?" dal nodded, waving goodbye.

+82 xx xxxx yyyy
text me whenever!
you deserve it, the prettiest stylist on the team
you did amazing and i'm proud!

he giggled, wooseok staring at him. "are you okay?" he mouthed, dal giving him an okay sign before pulling his cardigan sleeve down and walking over. "you crazy bastard." "it's what i strive to be." dal said, flicking his hair as they entered the elevator.

pulling out his phone, dal opened his messages, putting in mingyu's number

mingyu

hi mingyu!

he closed his phone, only to get an instantaneous response.

mingyu

hi mingyu!

dal!
honestly i thought you wouldn't
text me</3

nono dw

also, this might be awkward

go ahead

thank you for making me look pretty

oh wow

seriously.

thank you mingyu.

np.
shit i got to go
ttyl?

yeah. yeah definitely

"hey pretty boy, let's go." wooseok said, walking out the company doors, failing to realize the bright smile on dal's face. one line got stuck in his head as they boarded the bus, wooseok talking about his evaluation.

thank you for making me look pretty

"dal? are you even listening? god i have to start again-" the two laughed, dal looking at his friend. he was happy. so happy.

☆

words: 1180
not edited

not to be that guy,
but stuff is now going to pick up
UGH YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IM GOING TO DOOOO