Ch.36
Just when things were looking impossible, the game has changed! It changed when three lovely gentlemen offered to be your models for free. It gave you an idea! All this time you've been thinking about paying professional models and a professional photographer. As great as that would have been, you might have to go amateur for this runway. Now not everyone was going to be as generous as them. People were going to want to be paid though maybe they would be more understanding about the low pay for this show. That's what you were hoping for when you brought it up to Hoseok about how the runway was going to be saved.
The two of you just needed to be cheap! Saving money was an absolute must at this point. Having three free models was great, but you also needed to get some female models too. You needed more people fast! Anyone who was willing to accept being paid thirty bucks at most. It was a crime to be paid that low however there's wasn't much Hoseok and you could pull together when there would be about twenty models in total. Then the photographer had to be fifty at most. Another crime, but the price of all the models was making it tough for you guys.
Still, you were ecstatic that Hoseok and you found a solution for the runway. The two of you just had to think locally and very cheap! When you got home last night, Hoseok and you talked a lot about who you guys could ask to be models. It was then when the both of you realized just how little people you guys were close to at FIT. You guys were always attached at the hip so there was never a need to find anybody else. They would have felt like a third wheel anyway, but now it was coming to bite you guys. Hoseok was close to giving up until you remembered two special people!
Why didn't you think of them earlier? With how much you adored their style at first sight, they should have been on your mind the moment you got the idea! You were upset with yourself though there was no time to mentally scold yourself. When Hoseok and you went to FIT the next day and finished your classes, going to the main office became the priority. You finally had time off work today so you were going to do everything in your power to recruit people into being your models! Plus you had an idea of who you wanted as the photographer.
"Their work was posted on the website. I took a look and honestly, their work was the best in my opinion." You showed Hoseok your phone as the two of you walked up the steps to the office.
"Yeah, these are actually pretty good. They look professional." Hoseok approved of them, getting a squeal out of you.
"Right!" You bounced. "They're a student here at FIT, so I hope they're understanding about our situation. They're a fashion photography major and we're designers so I'm sure we can find some middle ground."
"I'm excited to get this runway happening. You're making it sound more believable by the second." Hoseok wrapped his arm around your waist as the two of you approached the front door.
"I like to make my dreams a reality." You playfully winked at him. He knew how hard you were working to tie up all the loose ends. The two of you were super stressed about it, but as long as you had each other then it was possible. Things got hard now that you were no longer rich yet here the two of you were! Strong and determined as ever!
"(F/n)! Hoseok!" Jimin's delightful voice perked you up.
When Hoseok opened the door for the both of you, Jimin's head naturally turned to see who was entering. Seeing your familiar faces immediately put joy on his face. How you've missed your favorite himbo! Not only him, but you were ecstatic to see Star as well. There stood a queen in all black, moving around the office to make sure everything was running smoothly. You loved to see it! She was wearing a rather large headpiece with silver spikes poking out, black roses, and multiple chains hanging off with cute metal charms at the end. Her black dress had the same shape to it that you've always seen her wear though you adored how much ruffles and ribbons this dress had.
"Welcome. Need any more help or just missed us?" Star came up to the counter with a little smirk.
"Both! So much of both!" You hurried over, making sure to tug Hoseok with you. He bowed politely to them, but he made sure to give Jimin a smile. Mainly because the boy was excitedly waving at him. Hoseok had almost forgotten how much Jimin admired him. For what reason? Hoseok couldn't exactly remember why. "So you know how I want to do a runway?"
"Run away?" Jimin frowned until Star patted his shoulder.
"Runway," She corrected as his mouth turned into an 'o'. "Yes, we remember."
"We need models for the show and I was wondering if you two would be interested. We can pay! It won't be much for all the work you guys will have to put into the show, but we really need models," You said with pleading eyes.
Your question seemed to surprise Star while Jimin was in the middle of processing what you had asked. It was a lot so you gave him his time to take it all in. You've watched enough shows to know that being a model was no easy task. It was more than just walking on and off stage which could be hard for people in general. Runway models deserved a lot more credit than they were given. With Jimin and Star going to a fashion college, they had to be familiar with that. You would perfectly understand if they weren't interested. Though for the sake of getting people, you were begging inside your head for them to agree.
"Me? Really? Are you sure I could be a model?" Star blinked. She was much shorter than the regular height of a model and so was Jimin. Star's usual look was definitely different from the types of runways you've watched, but that was okay.
"Of course! You most likely will have to wear something totally different from your usual look, but you could definitely be a model!" You smiled. "I'm sure even without the contacts, you'd still look like a porcelain doll."
"Thank you." Star was flattered by your comment as she swayed happily. "If you really do need a model then I'd be glad to help out."
"Yes! Thank you so much!" You brought your hands over the counter as Star reached out to hold yours. She just smiled as you bounced around, relieved that you had one female model. "Oh! And if you have any girl friends who want to be models, please ask!"
"I do have girl friends and a girlfriend who might be willing." Star was officially becoming your favorite person. A life saver. You just might cry. Star laughed at your emotional state, allowing you to let it all out. Her accepting and spreading the word was already lifting so much stress off your shoulders.
While you were fighting off the urge to have an emotional moment at your college's office, Hoseok was dealing with Jimin. He would have preferred to let you handle Jimin yet you seemed preoccupied with Star. That left Hoseok to smile as Jimin began to put your offer together. He could be a model if he says yes and even get paid! This sounded like a great deal! Jimin's eyes were turning into crescents as his smile grew larger. He used to be a child model when he was younger and now mainly does modeling on Instagram, but this sounds fun too!
"I wanna be a model!" Jimin jumped around in a circle. He was over the moon as he crouched down to open his backpack and pull out a small card. He quickly handed it over to Hoseok who furrowed his brows the moment he received the piece of paper. Hoseok would have assumed it was a business card and it was...something of that sort. It had Jimin's name handwritten with marker and his phone number along with stickers to give it a little more pizzazz. Was this a joke? That was Hoseok's first thought but based off every brief interaction he's ever had with Jimin...this couldn't be more serious. "That's my personal phone number. I kept forgetting the numbers since it was too long, so I wrote it down!"
"I can see that." Hoseok pursed his lips, smiling anyway. He still worried for Jimin, but he seemed like a good kid. Just not the sharpest tool in the shed. "Very smart of you to write it down though."
"Really!?" Jimin was automatically touched from Hoseok's words. A lot of girls like to dote on Jimin though what he appreciated most was Hoseok's honesty. An admirable hyung he could learn a lot from was complimenting him. What an honor! "Can I hug you?"
"Er, uh...I...sure." Hoseok was taken aback. Jimin had the innocence of a child despite being around the same age as him. Thanks to that, Hoseok couldn't bring himself to be even the slightest bit rude to Jimin. The shorter rushed around the counter to hug Hoseok tightly.
"I like your new hair, Hyung!" Jimin's voice was muffled since he was squishing his face into Hoseok's soft hoodie. "We're both blonde now."
"Thanks, Jimbo. That we are." Hoseok patted Jimin's head.
Hoseok managed to handle Jimin just fine. He thinks? He survived and that's what matters most. The constant worrying for how Jimin lives was just always going to be there in the back of Hoseok's head. He was beginning to accept that now. As long as Jimin stays safe and takes care. Overall, Hoseok was feeling the same relief you were feeling from two extra models. In total that was five and the both of you would love to have ten male models and ten female models. Whether you guys got a little more of male or female, you didn't care as long as the twenty mark was reached. You were finally calming down from your emotional state without shedding a tear so that was thrilling.
Now you just had to get Jimin and Star listening on what they needed to know as models. The plan was to step up meetings once you have all your models to teach them how to walk. You don't really know how, but you think you can give them enough advice so it looks show ready. Jimin gave you his lovely little card with his phone number while Star quickly wrote hers down for you on a piece of paper. She'd let you know if she's able to recruit more female models which you were endlessly grateful for. You still didn't know where you were going to get more from, but you'll figure it out all soon!
"I know I'm all over the place, but I'd like to think I have somewhat of a handle on everything." You dramatically flipped your hair back.
"You got this!" Jimin cheered you on.
"We'll do our best to help you out." Star gave you an understanding smile. "I see your fashion has changed."
"Oh...yeah, it has." You stared down at your clothes. Selling your Chanel bag got you a small new wardrobe. It was hardly anything to what you used to own, but at least they were kinda cute. These days you just wore leggings, crop tops, and slip-on shoes. It was strange only wearing the same pair of shoes every day. "I ran into a bit of a financial issue. I'm surviving though!"
"That's good." Star nodded as Jimin agreed.
"Hoseokie did force me to sell my Chanel bag though. What a meanie." You pouted causing her to laugh. Hoseok playfully shook his head, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. You still brought it up from time to time because the pain was very much real. The phantom pain haunts you to this day. Whenever you reach for your bag, you have to remember it's no longer Chanel but instead a tote bag from a grocery store. At least the mouse keychains match on both your bag and Hoseok's. Jimin seemed to be currently fixated on them since he thought they were adorable. Hoseok pressed a kiss to the side of your head as someone stepped into the office.
Star was ready to help them so it looked like it was your time to go. Hoseok and you were finished with your business here anyway. The two of you got out of the way so that they could work in peace. Star waved at you quickly which Jimin caught. He pouted, waving back at you guys as the two of you waved back. Next on the list was getting the photographer you found on the school's website! You'll need to check the photography building and you hope this student is still lingering around.
"Can I have your student ID? Thank you," Star spoke as Hoseok and you were almost out the door. "Jeon Jungkook?"
"Yeah."
That was when you froze in your spot. Jeon Jungkook? It couldn't be who you were thinking of. At the same time, you couldn't know unless you checked! Hoseok had opened the door only to stop when he noticed you weren't walking with him. You were too busy looking over at the gentleman who had recently entered the office. It was hard to get a good view of him from the back though. If you're correct on who you think it is then you actually have a professional model in your presence. Hoseok wanted to see what you were looking at when he saw you eyeing a man with a tight shirt and pants.
With no warning, you found yourself getting pulled out of the office building. It was so sudden that you almost tripped. Hoseok was pulling your arm instead of having his arm wrapped around you like earlier. What is going on? You were keeping up with him as the two of you went down the stairs, but you were still so confused on why he was in such a rush. Despite you trying to get him to stop, Hoseok kept walking until the both of you were at the bottom of the stairs. He was ready to take you off campus is what it looked like!
"Hoseok!" You planted your feet, taking your arm out from his so he would face you. When he finally did, you were surprised to see just how annoyed he looked. "What's with that look?"
"What do you mean? You were checking out a guy right in front of me!" Hoseok frowned. His tone was defensive and hurt though you felt bad that he misunderstood. You smiled at him which didn't make him happy. Hoseok crossed his arms, looking away from you as you walked up to him and wrapped your arms around him.
"My baby! I wasn't checking him out in a weird way! I was just trying to see if he's the Jeon Jungkook I know of! You know, the model?" You told him. You knew about Hoseok's insecurities with himself and now it explained all the times he got jealous easily. It was pretty easy to sort out though. You were passionately loyal to him and it only took a few seconds for Hoseok to get a grip over himself. His emotions got the best of him, but now he was just embarrassed.
"Oh..."
"I love you." You pecked his lips even though he wanted to put his hood on and tug on the strings tightly so he wouldn't have to look you in the eyes.
"I love you too." He was quiet now that he was all shy from embarrassment. Adorable.
You tapped his nose lightly before looking up the stairs and pulling Hoseok to the side. The two of you can hide on the side and wait for this Jungkook guy to come out. If you're right about this then you're going to be super excited! Hoseok let you handle figuring out if it was Jungkook the model or not. He grabbed the strings of his hoodie, trying to hide in his personal cocoon until you stretched out his hoodie for him and insisted it wasn't a big deal. You also didn't need him blinded in case the two of you needed to run after Jungkook. You needed to be prepared for anything!
Hoseok was forced not to hide in his hoodie while the two of you waited for Jungkook to leave the office. You were holding Hoseok's hand the entire time and when five minutes passed, the office doors finally opened. Jungkook was holding a couple papers in his hand as he slowly went down the stairs. He was looking them over, giving you the chance to take a good look at him. Big black eyes, nicely trimmed brows, clean shaven face, sharp jaw line, strong build. The lack of makeup gave him an air of innocence though the serious expression he had on his face reminded you of the mature and fierce model you were used to seeing on the runway.
"Jungkook." You weren't breathing.
IT'S HIM.
Squeezing Hoseok's hand, you dragged him over to the bottom of the stairs by the time Jungkook had reached the bottom as well. He stopped abruptly to see two people blocking his path. He looked so surprised and you could understand why he was so startled. You were currently grinning at him like a crazy person. Hoseok was just awkwardly smiling at him, still not over the fact that he thought you were checking this guy out in a different sense. He wanted to hide in his hoodie all over again only to be face to face with this guy.
"Hi! My name is Kang (F/n) and this is my lovely boyfriend, Jung Hoseok." You introduced yourselves as he raised a brow at you.
"I'm not interested in joining any clubs if that's what you're asking me about," Jungkook said as you shook your head.
"That's not it at all! See, I'm running an event for Apparel Construction classes two and three. It's essentially an end of the semester runway and I'm in search of models," You stated. The moment you mentioned your intentions, his eyes narrowed on you. "You're Jeon Jungkook, right? You've walked for Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga, and Valentino. Your work is seriously impressive for your age."
"Hmm." Jungkook hummed warily. You couldn't get over the fact that you were meeting him in real life!
"It's so exciting seeing you here at FIT. I would have never thought you were going here too." You smiled at him as he took in a breath.
"I just came here this semester. And if you were a true fan of my work, you would know that I've officially retired from modeling to focus on my education." Jungkook gave you a fake smile. Hoseok was stunned to see how cold Jungkook had become in seconds.
"I do know that. I read the magazine, but I figured you meant professionally." You knew that that was a stretch. "I just thought that maybe you would consider walking for our runway out of school spirit! We can pay you though nothing compared to what you've been paid before in the past."
"You'd never be able to afford my rate." Jungkook scoffed. He looked you up and down, judging your simple outfit. He was smirking until he noticed he was getting a dirty look from Hoseok. "Relax, I'm not trying to steal your girl."
"Oh, believe me, he knows you're not my type." You giggled with a snort. Oops. That slipped. Bringing a hand up to your mouth, you now felt embarrassed. Hoseok had less shame in laughing at Jungkook who was put in a bad mood. Well, he's looked grumpy from the moment you mentioned modeling to him. "Sorry...I didn't say that to be mean. I was just being honest cause you're not, but I'm sure you are for others..."
"Princess, please." Hoseok bit his lip, poorly attempting to hold back his laughter.
"Clearly you two are meant for each other." Jungkook's voice was monotone. He looked like he wanted to slap the both of you in the face. Instead, he roughly walked in between you two to separate your hands.
Finally, Hoseok wasn't laughing and you weren't speaking more than you should. It was fair to say the both of you screwed up with approaching Jungkook. The goal wasn't to offend him yet you managed to do exactly that. He was walking off, obviously irritated from what just happened, but you couldn't help yourself from noticing how great his walk was. Even when he was off the runway. D*mn. Pursing your lips, you looked over at Hoseok as he released a heavy sigh. There wasn't much the two of you could do about him now.
"Eh, forget that guy. We'll get models to fill the spots without him." Hoseok wrapped his arm around you, putting a smile on your face again. "Now let's go check out that photographer you were interested in."
He's right! You couldn't let yourself get discouraged and based off the first impression you gave Jungkook, his decline was understandable. Hoseok and you just had to keep on marching! Off to the photography building!
It was like a museum from what you saw on the school website. You've never had a reason to come over here before. It was pretty far from all the buildings you had classes in. From the moment you stepped in with Hoseok, there were a ton of pictures hanging on the walls. There were also mannequins behind glass cases wearing designs from previous students. The whole building gave off an entirely different vibe. You were in awe as you wandered through the halls with Hoseok. So many students were lugging around camera equipment. There were also rooms that were specifically meant for photoshoots which caught your attention.
Though you had to save a majority of the gazing for later. You saw a picture of the photographer on the website too. They were receiving an award so you knew their beautiful work was recognized. The plan was to go around and find the photographer or ask around. It looked like a class had just finished with how many students were leaving a certain room. Hoseok and you gave each other a look before hurrying over to see if you would find the familiar face. The two of you stepped into the room, apologizing any time you guys got in someone's way.
In the middle of trying to be careful and bowing to other students, your eyes were scanning the room desperately. You weren't finding anyone who looked like the photographer up until you spotted someone packing up near the professor's desk. Curly black hair that went down to his neck and vintage looking clothing. You started tapping Hoseok's arm out of excitement, thrilled you found the guy you were looking for.
"Hi! Hello! Excuse me!" You were rushing over to him just as he finished packing. His face had not a single emotion to it as he looked up at you with Hoseok behind you. Even in the photo you saw of him, he wasn't smiling so this seemed very on brand of him. "Are you Kim Taehyung?"
"Yes." He kept it short.
"Okay, Kim Taehyung! I just wanted you to know that I was looking on FIT's website to see the talented photographers we have in this department. You were the one who caught my eye and—"
"Is this for FIT's journal? I already did an interview." Taehyung blinked at you. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else which was proving to be accurate when he started walking away like nothing. You weren't even done talking! Hoseok sighed heavily, but you forced him to keep up with you in following Taehyung. "You're following me now."
"I am!" You chirped as he entered a photoshoot room. He didn't wait to keep the door open for you or Hoseok, but the two of you barged in anyway. "I wasn't done asking my question. It's not an interview! I need your photography skills."
That seemed to catch Taehyung's attention. Thank goodness! You were nervous that you were dealing with another fashion snob. Taehyung actually looked you in the eyes since you started talking to him though it was short lived. He was quick to set down his bag and begin moving equipment around. There were already lights in the room that just needed to be plugged in. There were light diffusers and a white backdrop in the center of the room. Taehyung removed his brown wool coat, tossing it onto a chair on the side when he snapped his fingers at Hoseok.
"You. Help me move the lights." Taehyung demanded.
"Uh—"
"Now."
"Okay." Hoseok followed orders obediently. He was kind of scared to say no. It's not like Taehyung had expressed a single emotion this entire time. All his faces and tones have been practically the same.
"Speak," Taehyung said as your brows jumped. It was your turn to talk! Taehyung was listening as he had Hoseok help him get the lights set up exactly where he wanted them.
"I'm working with Hoseok to get a runway show started for Apparel Construction classes two and three. A lot of this is eating into our budget so we're trying to get help from students at our school. We're recruiting student models and it would mean the world if you accepted being our photographer—" You were getting ready to stroke his ego if need be though you were concerned if he was even listening at all. Taehyung looked so focused on the lighting that you felt like you were talking to no one.
"Hands off." Taehyung motioned Hoseok to let go of the lights. Immediately, Hoseok let go and looked over at you nervously. "Do I get paid?"
"Huh? Oh! You will! It won't be much though." You fidgeted with the plush mouse on your tote bag.
"One hundred fifty? Two hundred?" Taehyung threw random numbers in the air causing Hoseok to gulp. Taehyung was in the middle of setting up his computer, connecting his devices when he noticed the silence in the air. He glanced away from his laptop to see you grinning from ear to ear.
"Fifty!" You cheered though no matter how happy you sounded, anyone could see it was a rip off. This guy has won an award for his skills and clearly had some professional experience under his belt. There was no way you were getting away with how low this pay was for his skills. Your smile became tight with the look Taehyung was giving you. No one spoke the entire time as if he were checking if you were serious. One hundred percent.
"Look, Taehyung. I know it's not a lot for your talent, but we really don't have much options and we're desperate here," Hoseok spoke up. He tried not to flinch when Taehyung's eyes instantly shifted over to him. There was something about the photographer that didn't feel human, but it was fine. "There's a lot of talented people putting so much of their work into this runway. Our low budget is making it hard on us, but I promise you that doing this show will be worth it. For our school at least, can you please consider it?"
"You do realize you're asking me to accept being underpaid, correct?" Taehyung stepped away from his laptop to stand in front of the both of you. He crossed his arms, his honey gold eyes piercing into you two. "I charge higher for services because I know my worth as an artist. Would you accept such low pay for creating a dress from scratch? I think the answer's no."
"I mean..." You shrugged causing Taehyung to raise a brow. Suddenly his hint of emotion made you feel pressure now that eyes were on you. "Here's the thing. I used to have a lot of money that I honestly would create a dress even for a low price because I just love making clothes. I'm not in the same financial situation anymore, but still...right now I'm making clothes for no pay. I get a grade and everything for it comes out of my pocket. It sucks. Still, I love what I do and it'll all be worth it in the end." You nodded at your words. "This is just a rough patch in my career."
"I see," Taehyung said. It was hard to tell what he was thinking when he showed nearly no emotions. He was just standing there when Hoseok took out his phone.
"Here are some designs that (F/n) has done in the past. Some of mine too." Hoseok went over to Taehyung's side, opening the gallery on his phone. "We do our best to make our art. Maybe you could make them shine more with your photos."
You stayed glued in your spot as Hoseok slowly showed Taehyung photos of your pieces as well as his own. It felt just as nerve wracking as waiting for a grade from Professor Monet. Taehyung has seen professional clothing himself and you're sure he's taken well paid photography jobs too. You couldn't make anything as extravagant as you used to, but the creativity was still there. Playing with the mouse keychain, you kept your eyes on Hoseok who was smiling. His expression was a lot more comforting than Taehyung who looked bored. When Hoseok showed all the photos he owned, you bit your lip anxiously now that Taehyung was taking in a deep breath and acting like he had made his final decision.
"If you're right about this only being a rough patch in your career, I expect to receive better pay in the future." Taehyung locked eyes with you. Did you hear him right?
"Does that mean—?" Your eyes widened.
"I'll be your photographer," Taehyung confirmed as you released an ear piercing squeal. Taehyung had to take a step back to let you bounce around. He looked over at Hoseok who chuckled casually.
"She does that a lot." Hoseok smiled before going over to join you in the bouncing and squealing.