I walked into the partially lit studio with a big smile, dragging my suitcase full of tools. I was ready to start my new job. Two years after graduating from a cosmetology school, I applied for a position at SM for a makeup artist. Surprisingly, I was given the job. Maybe they saw pass my skin color. Maybe they didn’t. Maybe they only want quality and don’t who does what. Maybe they just want the job done. Whatever the reason, I still got the job. The set was a simple light grey backdrop with a dark wooden stool in the middle of the floor. Today, I was given the opportunity to work on South Korea’s #1 boy band, EXO, for a photoshoot with the Ivy Club. Despite all of their problems, they still somehow managed to be the best. I was assigned to do Suho and Kai’s makeup. Completely running on adrenaline, I unpacked my makeup kit and laid the brushes and pallets out on the vanity in the prep room. This was all too real and all too……unreal. After I set up, I looked in the mirror and fixed my wavy ruby tresses before straightening out my long black dress. I pushed the sleeves up and pulled them back down repeatedly, indecisive about how I wanted them. But finally I settled on keeping them down. My nerves were making me jittery and such. Even though I had done makeup and hair on people before, this was different. My work would be on display around the world…..and these weren’t just regular people, this was EXO. My train of nervous thought broke when I heard the door crack. I looked at the door through the mirror and watched the reflections of the two men walk in. Suho was short in stature and pale of the skin. He looked very different without makeup. He looked…..normal. Not that I was expecting anything great. It’s just that I had always seen him with at least some foundation on. Following behind him was Kai. Tall in stature and dark of skin…. It was beautiful really. It was smooth and his complexion seemed flawless; not a single blemish in sight. And his hair—

‘ooo them roots….’ I thought with a slight frown as I noticed the jet black hair that lead abruptly to the reddish brown. But it could be worse. I took a deep breath before turning to greet them with a bow and a smile. I looked up for a brief moment only to lock eyes with Kai. I felt my stomach jump a bit as my breath hitched for a moment. He gave a coy smile and bowed in return. Suho bowed as well with a polite smile. Following right behind them was the visual director. He was supposed to walk me through the concept looks as I worked. Right behind him was the stylist. She grabbed the two boys and led them straight to the rack as the visual director approached me taking off his glasses slowly.

“On time, tools hot, makeup ready to go…. For a foreigner you’re making a pretty good impression on me.” He said with a smile.

‘For a foreigner?....’ I thought as the smile on my face dulled a tad. I could’ve said something smart but it was my first day and like he said. I was foreign. A simple thank you was all I could muster.

“So the concept today is very simple. Clean cut, manly, makeup. What I was thinking for the boys is……….” I tuned out his explanation of the concept when in the corner of my eye, I noticed the two men changing. Kai’s skinny but toned body, bronze and beautiful. I had to showcase it. It was too pretty to not show. “…... Got it?” My attention returned to the visual director when he finished.

“Clean cut, manly, I can do that.” I said quickly, still gazing at Kai from the corner of my eye.

“Great!” he exclaimed clapping his hands together. “Let’s get started!” he smiled to the boys as he hit the play button on the radio to play some of EXO’s music before leaving to check on the camera crew. Suho sat down in the seat first and I began to prepare the products. I picked up a jar of hair mousse and dropped the jar trying to get it open. I was so jittery I couldn’t focus.

“I figured you had to be new.” He smiled picking up the jar and opening it for me. I took the jar and the lid from him with a shy smile.

“Really?” I asked and he replied with a nod.

“Aside from the fact that I’ve never seen you around at all, you seem to be really nervous.” He said. I huffed and nodded before I began to style his hair. “Don’t be nervous. I know I might seem a little intimidating…” he began and I looked at him sideways. “But honestly, I’m a swell guy! I’ll make this as comfortable and easy for you as possible. Tell me what you need.”

“Well first of all, I need you to shut your mouth so I can concentrate. Thank you, oppa.” I said on impulse. I could hear Kai chuckle from behind me. I smiled to myself as Suho pursed his lips. After styling his hair, I began on makeup. I applied simple foundation with minor contouring, dancing a bit to Call Me Baby as I went. Then, I took the eyebrow brush and began to fill in his eyebrows lightly with a dark brown eyeshadow. I combed them a bit to make them more natural and lined and applied the faintest amount of eyeliner just a bit below the water line to make his eyes seem a little bigger than they actually were. I completed the look with a bit of tinted lip balm. When I finished with Suho, I patted his shoulders. “Done!” I said. He turned to the mirror to check himself out and smirked.

“Not too shabby, kid. I told you not to be so nervous.” He smiled patting my shoulder before making his way out to the studio. And finally it was Kai’s turn….