Jiwoo woke up the next morning and alone. It felt weird, because she was used to having Somin right next to her. Her hand lingered a bit longer onto Somin’s side. She sighed, being confused and frustrated on why she felt so weird. She rolled over to her side and saw a note stuck onto the pillow.

They called me in a bit early for some reason. I can’t wait to see you later, baby!

xoxo Somin

“I guess I can’t be too mad. Duty first… hehe I said Duty.” Jiwoo softly giggled as she made the bed and took a shower, preparing for a long day. She went into the closet and grabbed her professional camera gear. Last night the company had emailed her, letting her know that she will be replacing their old photographer. He left so suddenly and they knew Jiwoo wouldn’t mind, since she loved taking photographs and the pictures always turned out lovely. She looked at the time and knew she had to hurry. When Jiwoo was reading into her new model, she saw some comments on how picky and mean the woman can be.

Jiwoo quickly arrived at the company building and pushed the up elevator button. She ended up being a bit late as she got lost looking at some old photos on her camera. They were of Somin, young Somin. She’s always been so beautiful, Jiwoo smiled as she leaned her head back, trying to mentally prepare herself for the upcoming events. Ding. She walked out the elevator. When she reached the studio room she heard some sort of commotion going on.

“Where the hell is the photographer? All I see if a bunch of erts! Gosh they always keep me waiting.” Jiwoo took a wild guess that it was the model she read about. She wasn’t really mad at the model either. The employees in the room weren’t so respectful most of the time, because she’s heard the things they would say about her Somin. She knew Somin heard some of their comments as well, but she’d always brush them behind. She was too pure for the world.

Taking in a deep breath Jiwoo made her ways towards the woman, praying that she wouldn’t get yelled at too much today. “I would like to apologize for my tardiness!” Jiwoo gave the model a full 90-degree bow, which made her a bit impressed. Somin watched from afar. Her photo shoot had finished a while back. Her photographer got stuck in some other situation, so his models got a small break. She stood in the back of the room and did what she always saw Jiwoo doing, which was watching her from the back as others worked.

“It’s okay. Just don’t be late again.” The model mumbled as she went into the dressing room to get ready for her first theme.

“Wow, your got saved today Jeon.”

Somin watched Jiwoo take off her bag and take out her camera. She always loved the look Jiwoo would get, like there was something about taking photos that made the other girl extremely happy and calm. Somin was helplessly in love with how focused Jiwoo would be with her work. She watched as Jiwoo logged into the computer, making sure everything was connected correctly and working. She picked up her camera and put on a different set of lens. But Somin felt confused when she saw that Jiwoo had suddenly stopped what she was doing.

Jiwoo stopped what she was doing and faced towards the back, she felt like someone was watching her moves. Her body relaxed a bit when she realized it was just Somin, who was cutely waving at her. She quickly waved back along with delivering a wink, but her eyes caught onto something else. Something that stole her attention, it was the model who walked out in her well fitted dress. And during that moment, Somin realized what Jiwoo was feeling the night before.

“Wow, you look… breathtaking Miss Lee.” Jiwoo complimented.

The model slightly smirked and she leaned forward, “you can call me Sunmi.” She swayed her hips as she walked to her spot.

Somin’s insides felt so dirty and green. She knew the types of trouble they’d get into having Jiwoo as a photographer. She then figured that there was a huge downside to dating someone who was so obsessed with capturing beauty. Because Somin knew once Jiwoo laid her eyes on something beautiful, it would be hard to bring her back.

The brunette photographer leveled the camera up to her eyes. Jiwoo swore that there was something different about Sunmi. The woman looked so beautiful in her eyes, but she was something completely different through the camera. There was something so deep and beautiful.

Jiwoo began her work and started to take some shots. Bending down if needed or walking in different angles, anything that would do Sunmi’s beauty a favor.

“Beautiful,” Jiwoo gasped. Sunmi was known for her special seduction towards both men and women, and that scared a certain blonde. If only Somin knew that Jiwoo was struck away by the frame and not the physical being.

“No! NO!” Jiwoo was so frustrated. Sunmi looked great but something was off and it drove her insane, everyone else in the room were scared for Jiwoo’s life, because they knew Sunmi was a diva and no one told her ‘no’. But Sunmi didn’t even hear the ‘no’s as her eyes and mind were preoccupied on Jiwoo’s frustrated face. Her eyes traveled down the brunette’s face towards her jacket. She had a weakness for leather jackets, but she had a bigger weakness for lip biting, which is something Jiwoo always did when she was thinking of solutions. Jiwoo might’ve missed the model’s face expressions but Somin didn’t.

“E-excuse me?” Sunmi spat, it finally hit her what the photographer said. Since the very beginning, this particular photographer has been catching her attention.

“It’s not you… yet it is.” Jiwoo balanced the camera on her left hand as she walked onto the set and changed Sunmi’s position. She was fixing up Sunmi’s hair as then Sunmi accidentally stepped back and almost fell. Jiwoo was quick to hold onto her waist. Sunmi got lost in Jiwoo’s caring eyes. She was so used to the fake kindness that she almost couldn’t tell the difference anymore, yet right now she felt strange.

“There, that is what I’m missing,” Jiwoo whispered. The other employees came towards them to help Sunmi stand up, and during the whole scene Somin was raging in green. Her hands almost turned a much paler color as her fist became tighter.

“I’ve been taking pictures of you for a while now and you just seem to be stuck with the same expression on your face and eyes. This magazines theme is about love and feeling that warmth inside of you, but you’re making it seem like it’s some sort of soft-core . I saw that gentle look in your eyes and it’s perfect for this!” Jiwoo positioned herself back where she was before, being too lost within her work to noticed the different weather in the atmosphere. Throughout the photo shoot, Sunmi was able to sneak in the “gentle” look Jiwoo was looking for. The photographer was somewhat not pleased fully, but they all worked so hard today. She let them all go, so they could have a fresh beginning tomorrow.

“Miss Jiwoo!” A new soft tone called out to her as she packed all her equipment. It was Sunmi.

“Yes, Miss Sunmi?” She teased.

“I was… I was just wondering if you’d like to join my crew and I for some dinner?”

“I.. I’d love to,” Sunmi's face light up, but soon dropped as Jiwoo continued her sentence, “but I really need to get home. Next time we can, I promise!”

“Well you better live up to your promise!”

“I always do!”

The exhausted photographer made her way towards her girlfriends dressing room. She saw a small glance of her when she was doing her own shoot and she really wished Somin was still there. She opened the door and saw her lover.

“Somin, you ready to go? Everyone has left so we can leave together.” Jiwoo held out her hand. Somin took a hold of it, but her hands weren’t warm this time. They were cold. Jiwoo ignored the thought.

The whole trip down the elevator and towards their apartment building was an empty atmosphere. Jiwoo was lost on what could have been wrong but it’s been a long day, so she thought that maybe Somin just needed the peace. So she granted her wish and stayed quiet, but made sure to let her actions speak louder than words. She still made sure to make Somin feel loved and not alone.

Both were done with their nightly routine, and Jiwoo had on her reading glasses as she read the latest newspaper. Somin walked into the room and laid down on the bed, turning off her lamp, and Jiwoo did the same. They laid in silence. Both knew they were awake, but no one knew who should speak up first.

“I understand,” Somin barely breathed out.

“Hmm?” Jiwoo faced her.

“I understand the feeling,” it was ironic how Somin hated when Jiwoo was indirectly direct, yet she loved to do the same. But Jiwoo was more patient. “I understand how you felt when you saw our photo shoots and interactions, because today… I felt the same.” A cry escaped her lips and Jiwoo could feel her heart physically break. She brought Somin into her arms and rubbed her back to calm down her cries. She rocked their bodies back and forth until Somin would eventually fall asleep. When the soft cries were replaced with light snores, Jiwoo let out a deep breath and kissed her forehead.

I’m glad that we both could relate, maybe this could help us strengthen out relationship. Together we can get through this. Jiwoo thought.

Somin woke up a few hours later and combed her sleeping girlfriend’s hair with her fingers. “I’ve seen you take pictures of tons of models, but the way you looked at her. Made me feel so uneasy. It reminded me of how you looked at me when we first met, when you first fell in love with me. It’s been years since you’ve taken any photographs of me.” She knew she was speaking to no one, but it was the best time to let out whatever was on her mind.

“Yah Somin-ah!” Somin turned her head and sighed in frustration as she fell for the trick once again. Jiwoo had snapped her picture. Somin had been told plenty of times that she was beautiful, but she hated photographs. She just didn’t feel pretty enough for them.

“Wooaah, you looked so pretty. LOOK!” Jiwoo brought Somin into her arms and forced the girl too look at the picture. Somin thought she looked okay, but when she saw Jiwoo’s reflection from the camera’s screen, she felt a bit better. Jiwoo was able to help her find the beauty she never knew she had.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s okay... It’s okay? Excuse me?!” Jiwoo mocked. “How dare you judge my skills!” She tried her best to hold in her laughter.

“It’s not your skills,” Somin softly spoke as she looked down. Suddenly being too shy to admit her feelings.

“Then… then what is it?” Jiwoo placed her camera back up to her eyes, trying to capture Somin’s innocence.

“It’s…” So close, Jiwoo was so close on catching the sweet and soft pink color that was casting onto Somin’s cheeks. “It’s the model.” Jiwoo snapped another picture, one she never wanted to take. One that made Somin look so broken.

“Somin, look at me,” Somin nodded no. “Please, for me?” No one could say no to Jiwoo’s sweet and caring voice, so Somin slowly looked up. She wanted to hide her face once she saw the camera pointing at her, but a part of her trusted Jiwoo.

“Somin.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re beautiful… So beautiful.” Jiwoo breathlessly complimented the girl in front of her. Somin felt her beauty through Jiwoo’s words and Jiwoo was there to snap a memory of her realization.