Zero by One: Take Me Home

24. A Diplomat's Offer

In between his musings, Taehyun had found through his keen eyesight a mark on the noirette's shoulder otherwise inconspicuous if not for the slip of his jacket. The long and narrow scar akin to a deep slit looked completely healed but still took pride in marring the flawless skin. Although a big part of Taehyun was relieved to verify that nobody was perfect after all, a small fraction wondered what kind of creature could've scratched the man; Taehyun happily ignored the latter.

He had yet to figure the purpose of his presence here - other than guarding Beomgyu's belongings - since the dipshit went straight into business without a single word of explanation. Idle, he went over to the monitor that projected the raw cuts prior to this nth costume change. A few other ladies who were idle like him had gathered around too.

The women made collective noises of astonishment. Whether a close up or a full body shot, no flaw in either could one find. Perhaps the stylist team did exceptionally well at their jobs of hiding them - Taehyun liked to leave it as that. On the other hand, the females seemed to be more enthused than him. At one of their gasps, Taehyun's looked up from the screen.

The wind knocked out of him with the glowing faerie Beomgyu had transformed into. Gold and silver specks dotted his smooth complexion while a few clung onto his long lashes that fluttered above his tinted lower eyelid. A molded blossom on his ear and another worn on his finger, both bearing a metallic lustre that rivaled the gloss of his plump lips.

Taehyun had no clue what the product to be promoted was. He knew from the white turtleneck that was nothing to write home about apart from the fancy chain harnessing his torso that it wasn't for fashion. Foundation? Mascara, maybe? Either way, the viewer would be painfully distracted by his glamour that they wouldn't care.

　

Meanwhile, wise enough to tell the CS Team beforehand to keep their findings between only him and them, Beomgyu's reasoning was going further tilted from trust to doubts the more he took furtive glances at the brunet in the corner.

　"Intern Kang, come over here."

Taehyun tensed at the beckon once the camera shutter had quietened. Uncertain, he attended to the noirette in the realest pretence of an obedient underling.

　"Do you need anything, teamjang-nim?"

　"Take my card and go buy enough coffee for everyone in the studio."

At once, Taehyun flung out Beomgyu's wallet he had safely stored inside his coat to confirm the card in question.

　"While you're at it, get yourself a sandwich or something."

One of Taehyun's treacherous brows shot up despite his restraint. Noticing, Beomgyu tsked and added under his breath.

　"Don't think I'll let you taint my reputation as 'the boss that let his employees starve'. Later, you and I are gonna have a talk, and I don't want your rumbling stomach to interrupt."

Oh, the urge to punch the sparkles off that mug.

Nonetheless, Taehyun only slapped himself for setting unrealistic expectations of kindness from the devil as he took off to fulfill his given duties.

Beomgyu shooed the intern away just in time when the youthful and well-groomed gentleman in his early thirties turned up, his lips thinned out into a jolly heart.

　"How's the modelling going, Choi-teamjang?"

　"Worth double the intel." Beomgyu dropped a nod of acknowledgement at the staff after she removed the accessories off him. Hoseok giggled and pointed a complimentary finger at the monitor where a collage of Beomgyu's freshly taken images were shown.