One Week In August

Chapter 1

* * * * * *

Back in his hotel room, Phupha turns on the small desk light, starts up his laptop and takes the SD card out of his camera. Like every night, he examines his work, scrolling through his takes from today. There are a few really good shots in there. The picture of the swan couple came out really well for one, and he took a quite astonishing shot of the park's artificial waterfall and the surrounding bamboo forest. He also has one where he played around with the exposure time while capturing the entrance area of the park and it makes for a nice effect, the people moving about being blurry while the vibrant flower arrangements are sharp and steady behind them. Overall, he's quite satisfied with the day's outcome while skimming over the images.

But he's searching for one picture in particular.

The boy hasn't left his mind all day. It's a bit odd, really. Phupha has been attracted to other men he's seen on the street before, sure, but it's rare that he recalls with such clarity the face of a guy hours after seeing him. When he finally finds it hidden between hundreds of pictures of flowers, there's a curious tingle in his stomach and he has to brace himself and wait a few seconds before opening it. He feels ridiculous. He probably shouldn't be this excited at the prospect of staring at the image of a stranger who doesn't even know he's been caught on camera. It feels intrusive somehow, like he shouldn't be allowed to look, and yet still, he cannot stop himself.

The shot is a little blurry due to his movements, and he's pouting, looking down at his phone with furrowed brows. It's not the most flattering candid shot but Phupha is spellbound. There's something about him that draws him in and it's not just his undeniable beauty, his smooth skin and perfect cheekbones and the hair that looks like it would feel like silk if he'd let his fingers runthrough it. There's an aura of petulance there in the way his lips are pursed but also a gentleness in his eyes. His brow seems to reveal stubbornness, and there's a bit of arrogance in the way he leans back so casually. He seems sweet but unyielding and Phupha cannot tear his eyes from the screen.

Phupha was never interested in humans as a motive. Their tendency to pose for pictures as soon as they become aware of being photographed makes them dull for him. People want to portray something, are concerned with the way they look and might come across. Even if they try to be nonchalant and act natural, their awareness of the situation changes their movements, their expressions, the way they hold themselves. Phupha craves the unsuspecting ignorance of nature for his images, wants the perfect shot to happen by chance rather than careful planning. He doesn't want his models to demand a review and a retake because they don't look their absolute best.

This boy though, he wasn't aware of being photographed. Phupha accidentally captured him as naturally as he would a butterfly that suddenly landed on a branch right before him. Unaware, unguarded, real. Maybe that's why Phupha is so intrigued by him, why he suddenly imagines taking pictures of this boy in his forest, in front of the waterfall hidden deep inside it. He would love to capture his smile, can imagine his beauty outshining the stars up on the cliff. He would probably be breath-taking up there, his soft profile illuminated by the red of the low evening sun, contrasted by the rough mountain ranges behind him...

Phupha closes his laptop. One look and he's imagining taking this boy up to that place that is holy to him and his family. He really needs to get a grip on himself. He's here to work after all and that's what he should focus on. Maybe his dry spell has been going on for too long this time, maybe he's so starved for the touch of a beautiful man that his mind hyperfixated on him, but whatever it is, Phupha has to get over it and focus on the job.

He opens the laptop again and starts sorting through the pictures, deleting those he won't be able to use for his current project, groups the remaining ones into new folders and sends a few choice shots over to the tourist board to give them an idea of what he's going to present to them.