Work of Art || Luwoo

13

||Lucas||

The makeup artists shuffled through the room. Everyone was in a good mood. Nobody was stressed or in much of a rush. Today was a good change around Mode Maudelle. Lucas sat in front of a large vanity mirror and watched as his image transformed. His skin looked airbrushed and his hair was pulled back from his face and shimmered from the gel. It had an almost wet look. His makeup artist coloured his waterline with bright, cobalt blue eyeliner and layered frosty white highlighter on his cheek bones and above his upper lip. He looked like an ice prince and matched the aesthetic of his fellow models. Everyone was coloured in white body glitters and cold blues and purples danced on their faces. Everyone's hair was pushed back and their features looked quite severe. Lucas thought his colleagues looked like walking ice. They were currently a beautifully cunning group.

The workers were finally done painting Lucas' face. He rose from his chair and was given a pile of clothes for the photos. There were pieces so dark they looked like ebony and some so bright they shone like quarts. Everything was lined with white and diamond accents and many of the clothes had black and white pieces of fabric that hung at his sides, looking much like icicles. Madame Maudelle had an incredible imagination. Lucas admired her for her confidence in trying new concepts.

The boy finished putting on the first outfit. He looked at himself in the mirror one last time. A tall collar sprouted from the fitted black top. It had glittering jewels around the edges and it fanned out like frost against a window. The shirt was tucked into tight black jeans that had rips across the thighs and knees. Straps were tied from different places and swung around his body when he moved. He pulled the handle of the room and returned back to the main makeup area. His fellow models were also changing and slowly returned back to the same room as Lucas. There were only ten models doing the shoot today. Madame Maudele claimed that "only my top models will be participating in this one. You all will look beautiful." Everybody's clothing was similar in style to Lucas'; tightly fitting with detailed accents.

The group still had a few minutes before the photo crew arrived so they made idle conversation.

"Is something going on? The photographers don't normally take this long to show up." Lucas voiced. The same crew always photographed the models and they had never taken this long. The two companies had been working together for multiple years and their routine was organized and efficient. Years of practice caused the two partners to always be on time. The group shared confused glances.

- - -

"Alright, everyone! The photography crew is here now." Madame Maudelle came into the makeup room and called for her models.

The group left together and got ready in front of the cameras. Lucas stood between neon blue lights and in front of a dark black backdrop. He interacted with the other models and set into a pose for the first picture. The model was focused on the camera's lens. He shifted different parts of his body and changed his facial expression for each photo. The set lights were extremely bright and the neon bars beside Lucas' body caused anything beyond the set to look completely dark. He could see the silhouettes of bodies and equipment but he couldn't decipher any specific details.

The photographers took an endless amount of photos. Lucas stood in his spot for some time before the crew finally signalled for the models to step off the set and wait to take their solo pictures. A model that was standing a few feet away from Lucas was called upon to go first. Lucas stood behind the camera and watched his colleague pose with the hanging neon bars. The clothes shone against the lights and made her look like ice. Lucas' eyes finally adjusted to the bright lights of the room, so he started to look around at the photographing crew. He didn't recognize any of the faces. The boy realized that it was a new company working on the shoot. He didn't mind though, but he thought that he should talk with some of the crew. He assumed that this new set of people would be working with them from now on. He paced around and began talking to a man who was standing behind a screen. He was looking through the group pictures that had been taken a few minutes ago.

"The pictures look really nice." The man commented when Lucas stood next to the worker's chair.

"Thank you." Lucas wanted to have a good first impression. Photoshoots happened often and a stuck-up model would make it a more tiring task than it already was.

"So, are you a new crew? I don't recognize anybody today." Lucas started to prod.

"Yeah, we're a team from Caller Magazine. Our photographers get sent to your runways pretty often so Madame Maudelle offered us the new contract. I'm Teddy." He grinned at Lucas.

"I'm Lucas. Most people know me as the top mode-"

"Top model Lucas Wong. It's good to finally meet you. I've seen a few of your shows. You're pretty good at what you do."

Lucas nodded to Teddy once more and left his side. He began to return to the group of models standing near the cameras when familiar indigo haired winked in the corner of his vision. The photographer from the runway show was hunched over a table covered with different materials. Props, he assumed. Lucas stood back and watched that boy retrieve lenses and accessories for the photos. Stop staring, dude. You look like a creep. Lucas reprimanded himself. He still had no clue as to why he was so focused on that boy. He thought back to the show and tried to remember their conversation. The photographer had told Lucas his name. Jungwoo. Lucas surprised himself. He normally wasn't very good with names but that boy seemed to stick in his head.

A hand touched Lucas' shoulder and he jumped slightly. He had started daydreaming, staring at Jungwoo. The model turned around to see who was behind him. He looked down and was met with Madame Maudelle's face.

"Alright, hun, go take your solo photos." Madame Maudelle was extremely caring towards her workers. Almost motherly. Lucas was lucky to work for such a nice person. Madame Maudelle took Lucas' hand and returned to the photo set. It was quite dark through the space and they both had to walk slowly in order to avoid any stray wires that were spilled across the floor.

Lucas stepped onto the set space and stared at the camera. Things were going well. Lucas felt confident in his pictures today. He was working at a smooth pace and the first set of poses was already complete. The makeup artists surrounded him and began tapping his face with brushes and sponges, reapplying the meticulous look. Lucas stared around the room and watched as the photographer, Jungwoo, took his spot beside the cameraman, holding props. Lucas' heart seemed to beat a little faster. Was that fragile boy going to watch him take his photos? Lucas began to sweat under Jungwoo's eyes. At least he could blame it on the makeup and lights if anyone took notice. Jungwoo sat down beside the photographer with a box of different object. Lucas was standing to the side of the set but he still caught Jungwoo's stares every few minutes. Lucas was sure that the boy had noticed him watching earlier.

Lucas returned to his set with his new makeup and clothes and continued his modelling. He felt anxious about the amount of time the photoshoot was taking. Jungwoo was watching the display in front of him intently and it made Lucas' skin crawl. He was extremely nervous with that boy in the room and he had no idea why. Lucas was used to being on the stage, so why was anything different today?

The photoshoot went on, despite Lucas' discomfort. The photography crew finally announced that the day's work was finished and proceeded to pack up their equipment. The group of models returned to the makeup room but Lucas lingered a little longer. His eyes were fixed on Jungwoo. He wanted to talk with him but something was pulling at Lucas' mind. He couldn't bring himself to face the small crewman.

Hesitantly, Lucas returned to the makeup room to wash off his makeup and change into something more comfortable. Lucas had already hesitated to talk to Jungwoo at the show, and he wasn't able to make up for it today. The idea of talking to that Caller photographer was becoming something of a challenge for Lucas that he desperately wanted to overcome.