Jungkook chose an inconvenient location for the photoshoot. And I mean, very convenient.
I know he likes to think differently and all that bullshit, but sometimes his way of thinking confuses me. During winter, one would like to stay warm and inside, especially me. Jungkook knows me well enough to realize that I do not like to spend most of my time outside, in the snow. Meaning, I had hoped he understands that he needs to choose a location inside of a building. But no, he decided to choose a forest.
A goddamn forest.
I was shivering as soon as I stepped to the white, cold snow. Around my neck was a camera and I was wearing three layers of warm clothes. Jungkook laughed when he saw me in the many layers and still hugging myself, in an attempt to keep myself warm.
"You honestly look like a ball of fluff," he said, spreading his arms, "And very huggable."
"You're not hugging me." I scowled at him, "Why do I have a feeling you're doing this on purpose?" He raised an eyebrow at me.
"The location?" I waved my hand around to strengthen my opinion, "You do know I hate being in the snow, right?"
He frowned and smirked, "Actually no. But now that you mention it, maybe."
"Okay people, it's cold and I'm in a bad mood," Jin said as soon as he stepped outside, "Let's get this over with."
Jungkook stared at me, his eyebrow raised. I shook my head and sighed. Jin really needs to learn anger management, and stop trying to be Yoongi.
The three of us walked around the forest, searching for a spot good enough to be a background. Jungkook settled for trees, and I chose trees. And when we were satisfied with the results we chose more trees. Because there's absolutely nothing other than trees or snow in a forest in winter. How perfect for a photoshoot.
Jin was an amazing model, as expected, and very professional too. He followed both Jungkook and my instructions without any complaints, and without fail. He struck every pose wonderfully—if you can call standing still a pose.
"He's so freaking handsome he just stands there and it's a picture," Jungkook said as I aim my lens at Jin, "It's unfair."
"How is being handsome unfair?" I asked.
"Well yeah. We all have to try to look good in pictures. Some models even took lessons to look good," Jungkook stated, "He does nothing and he looks good."
"Do we have an umbrella?" I asked Jungkook after getting an idea for the next shot. Jungkook hands me the transparent umbrella we brought for the photoshoot. "It's called a gift, Jungkook."
"Gifts are unfair."
"Says the guy who has the gift to carry a heavy ass camera and not break a sweat." I gave Jin the umbrella. "Use this. I'm going to shoot from below, alright?"
Jin took the umbrella and strike another pose, which is standing still. Jungkook scowled, "Still unfair."
I rolled my eyes and carried on taking pictures of Jin. Jungkook looked around and searched for another spot, which is trees and snow. When I'm finished, Jungkook pointed to the spot he wanted and directed Jin on the next pose.
Jungkook was much better than me in many ways. He was much younger than me when he first touched his first camera and since then he had kept it with him. His love for still images turned to love for moving images, and he found himself applying in a film major. He moved to Seoul, joined the photography community I'm in and met me.
He was much better in directing Jin for a picture, with much more out-of-the-box angles and poses. He was lucky that his talent and passion were parallel, unlike me who has no talent in the field of moving image.
Jungkook released the camera from his grasp and stood up, brushing the snow from his pants. He turned to Jin, "That was great. I'm sorry for your girlfriend by the way."
What? Girlfriend?
Jin gave him a little smile and nodded. For a moment, I worried if he might suddenly panic again, but he didn't show any signs of panicking.
It was getting too cold for my wellbeing so the three of us decided to call it a day. I flipped through the pictures, satisfied with the results of today's photoshoot. Jin left us early since he claimed that he had a meeting for a short movie.
"Don't forget our reunion next week!" Jungkook shouted to Jin as he left, "You better be there or I'll drag you!"
Jungkook and I spent the next few minutes in his car while looking at our pictures and humming to the tune of the music. He had turned on the heater, thankfully. We showed each other our pictures once in a while, showing off the results we were proud of. Jungkook's pictures were amazing and unique, as expected from a freelance photographer.
"I have a movie I wanted to show you," Jungkook said after he packed his camera inside its bag, "It's good."
"What is it?" I asked him. Jungkook, the film nerd—and student, loves showing movies he thought good—in hopes of getting a review from me. But mostly I watch and take in whatever review he has for the film, giving my own 'it's good' every time.
"It's romance, and it's sad."
"The Notebook?" I guessed, frowning and packing my own camera.
He shook his head. "That's also a great movie, but nope."
"The Fault in our Stars?"
He chuckled. "No, Byul. That's too cliché. It's Her."
He started the engine, "You're free after this? I'd prefer to tell you my thoughts face to face."
I nodded and he grinned. "Great. It's a great reference for directors and writers."
"I'm a journalist, Jungkook. Not a director."
Jungkook lives in a shared house with two of his friends. It was small and cheap and cozy, just right for three film crews to live and sleep.
His house is disorganized and messy, the dust pooling everywhere. We entered an area where a TV is present. Across from it, small beanbags.
I sat on one of the beanbags while waiting for him to set the movie, "When was the last time we did this?"
"More than six months ago. You've been very busy lately, I couldn't give you the luxury of sitting down and watching a movie."
He dragged a beanbag beside me and sat down. "This is amazing. It's about a guy that dates an OS."
"What?"
"I know, crazy right?" He flashed his bunny smile at my direction. "But it's amazing. You should write this kind of story"
"I'm sorry, I'm a journalist not a screenwriter."
"Whatever." He pointed at the screen. "The exposition is a genius. They didn't say that he split up with his wife but you can tell from his reaction that something happened."
"Aren't you supposed to analyze the camera works? You're a camera director?"
He nodded, "But I do understand story."
"Sure you do." I smirked. We were completely immersed in the movie, with Jungkook speaking out his comments once in a while.
"You know Jin's girlfriend?" I asked him halfway throughout the movie.
He nodded. "She acted in one of my movies, back when I was in university."
"What happened to her?"
He was silent for a beat. Jungkook let out a heavy breath and licked his lips. He didn't look at me when he said, "She died."
I stared at him, "What?!"
"In an accident. I don't know the details, you'll have to ask Jin about that," He answered, his lips pursing and his eyebrows frowning.
"How come I didn't know about it?" I asked him, ignoring his reluctance, "How come Yoongi didn't know about it and you do?"
"He didn't tell anyone. I found out through my friends." Jungkook sighed. "Can we just watch this in peace?"
I pursed my lips, "Can you elaborate on this scene then?" waving my hand at the screen.
"He looks like an idiot pretending to date an OS," Jungkook answered, much more enthusiastic than before. "like his wife or ex-wife said, he is not capable of emotions with real people. That results in him dating an artificial person made to love him."
"So he's emotionally immature?"
"Exactly." He nodded, "Her, this movie, is ironic and great. You know most people in the world are also not capable of real emotions? They're emotionally immature—as you call it and can only love people who are exactly as they want."
I frowned, "Isn't this also about moving on?"
"How so?"
"He cannot move on from his wife, or at least the image of her that results in him and her splitting up. And even in his relationship with Samantha, he still can't move on completely from his ex-wife."
Jungkook nodded again, agreeing with me "I guess so." He frowned, a thought appearing in his head, "Now that I think about it that's even more ironic. Trying to move on, people love to indulge themselves in technology and gadgets—like Theo. But they don't realize that the technology makes them not capable of having real feelings."
"Which makes them incapable to move on completely."
—❦—
i just dropped the big one. haha.
ok not really the big one but just drop things—
ok whatever at least now you know where his girlfriend went. told ya she won't disappoint.
thank you for all the reads and votes and comments. philophobia is currently in 1.4k reads now and i'm so happyyy. i have an idea. how about, if philophobia get to 2k reads, i'll update a chapter at that moment? let's do that!
till next wednesday,
-w.