Picture Perfect

“Let’s split up for an hour, and then we’ll meet back here, okay?” Sunggyu directed them into small groups. “So Dongwoo and Hoya, me and Woohyun, and then you three can be together.”

“Yes!” Sungyeol cheered. “I’ll be the oldest!”

“Sunggyu-hyung, can’t I go alone?” Myungsoo frowned. “I only came here to take pictures.”

“Calm down, Myungsoo, it’s only for an hour.” Sunggyu waved the issue away with his hand. “Alright, Woohyun, let’s go.”

Sungyeol and Sungjong immediately raced off, dragging Myungsoo along. “Hey, stop it, you two!” Myungsoo protested. “You almost made me drop my camera! Do you know how much this is worth?!”

The two boys looked at each other and shrugged. “Look, a Ferris Wheel!” Sungjong beamed.

“Let’s go eat,” Sungyeol suggested, grabbing Myungsoo’s hand.

“No!” Sungjong snatched Myungsoo’s other hand and tugged him the other way. “I want to go on a ride first!”

“But I’m hungry,” Sungyeol whined.

“But if you eat now, you’ll throw up on the ride!” Sungjong snapped.

“Yah, do you want to die?!” Sungyeol the maknae. “Listen to your hyung!”

Sungjong pouted. “Fine.”

“I hate you, Sungyeol,” Myungsoo grumbled, still faintly nauseated from the ride. “Why did we have to go on that stupid ride–” He stopped in his tracks. Sungyeol and Sungjong were nowhere to be seen…and neither was his camera.

Myungsoo swore under his breath, hoping that his camera was in safe hands. It was a large fair, and there were too many people to count – what if one of his fans had taken it? He didn’t have any saesang fans (hopefully) but some of his fans were a little too enthusiastic for his taste.

He took a few tentative steps into the crowd, cursing his friends once again. It was just like Sungyeol to ditch him, and Sungjong didn’t really have a choice. But Myungsoo had wanted to be on his own…with his camera.

“Hey!” a voice yelped. Startled, Myungsoo turned to see a girl, no more than 16 or 17, sprawled on the ground with a scowl on her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Myungsoo began, but his gaze landed on a camera on the floor.

His camera, to be exact.

“Hey, that’s mine!” Myungsoo quickly snatched his beloved camera off the floor. “Where did you find this? Did you take it?”

“What the hell–”

Myungsoo cut her off. “Don’t do it again, okay? You have no idea how much this means to me! You crazy fans…” He glared darkly at her, before storming off.

Behind him, Myungsoo could still hear her protesting loudly but he ignored her. Attention seekers, he snorted. Gently wiping the last of the dirt off his camera, Myungsoo lifted it to his eye and focused on the sky above.

Picture perfect.

“Yah, where are you?” Sunggyu’s irritated voice came through the phone. “Do you know what time it is?”

“It’s not my fault, hyung.” Myungsoo rolled his eyes. “Sungyeol and Sungjong ran off, and how was I supposed to keep track of time?”

“They’re not your time-keepers,” Sunggyu snapped. “What’s your phone for?”

Myungsoo was silenced by this piece of logic.

“Get back to the meeting place. Everyone’s waiting for you.” Myungsoo pocketed his phone and soon arrived at the designated area.

True to Sunggyu’s word, the rest of Infinite was waiting for him. “Did you take any good photos?” Dongwoo asked, curious.

Myungsoo nodded happily. “Yeah, want to see?” Dongwoo, Woohyun and Sunggyu all crowded around; Sungyeol and Sungjong hung back, looking suspiciously guilty. Hoya looked bored as Myungsoo flicked through his photos, sometimes explaining the picture’s background.

“Wow, that one looks amazing!” Dongwoo pointed towards a photo that looked strangely unfamiliar, before teasing, “I didn’t know you could take such good photos, L.”

“Hang on a second.” He flicked through the rest of the photos, all of them unfamiliar. None of his other photos – photos from before the fair – were there; instead, they had all been replaced.

“Hey, who’s that?” Woohyun snatched the camera and admired a picture of a pretty girl with medium-length dark hair. “Is she your girlfriend?”

“No!” Myungsoo took the camera back, glaring. “I don’t know who she is!” The words felt like a lie – the girl looked strangely familiar.

As Myungsoo pondered the strange girl, someone tapped his shoulder – Sungjong. The maknae bowed deeply and offered a camera to him. “I’m so sorry, hyung! Sungyeol made me do it, it was all his idea–”

“Shut it, Lee Sungjong!” Sungyeol instructed, clamping his hand over Sungjong’s mouth.

Bewildered, Myungsoo accepted the camera and immediately recognised it as his own. But just to make sure, he scrolled through the pictures, relieved and confused to find that they were his.

“Wait, what did you do?”

Sungjong shrugged off Sungyeol’s restraining hand and confessed everything in one go. “After we went on the first ride, you went to the bathroom and while you were gone, Sungyeol stole your camera and we ditched you!”

“You stole my camera?” Myungsoo repeated. “What…then who…?” He trailed off uncertainly, and everyone followed his gaze to the second camera slung around his neck.

It was Hoya who voiced everyone’s thoughts. “Myungsoo, if that’s your camera,” he said, pointing to the one Sungjong had passed back to L, “then whose camera is that?”

“Where did you find it? Did you take it? You crazy fans…”

Myungsoo swore loudly and raced back into the fair.

Rebecca Choi scowled, taking savage bites from her sandwich. The fair had been lovely and extraordinarily picture-perfect, and she’d been having a lovely time experimenting with her brand-new camera that she’d received from her family.

It hadn’t been her fault; she just hadn’t been looking, and that was because she’d been distracted by a small family. Maybe if the guy she’d bumped into hadn’t been such a jerk, things would’ve turned out differently.

But he was still a jerk, and after bumping into him and tumbling to the ground, he’d snatched her camera, claiming it was his and accusing her of being a ‘crazy fan’ when she’d never even met him before. No apology, no nothing. He just stole her camera.

Rebecca tore off a piece of bread, her anger dissipating into despair. That camera had been a gift from her family, and she’d only had it for a few hours before the incident. Her family would never give her anything precious again.

She stared at her phone, eyeing her brother’s details. There was nothing much to do now with her camera gone – after all, the only reason she had come was to take photos.

“Hey! Hey, you!” A loud voice caught her attention and Rebecca looked up to see the jerk from before. He pointed at her as best as he could, trying not to drop the two cameras he was holding. “Yeah, you!”

Her temper flared and she threw her sandwich down, regretting it almost immediately. “What the hell do you want?” Rebecca snarled. “Here to accuse me again? For the last time, I didn’t steal your stupid camera!”

The jerk stopped in front of her, sweaty and sticky from his run. “I know, I know! I’m sorry!” He pulled a camera strap off his neck, offering it to hers. “Look, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know it was yours. I just assumed and I…I’m really sorry.” He bowed deeply.

A tall boy with black hair stepped up behind Myungsoo. “I’m sorry, too,” he muttered sullenly. “I stole Myungsoo’s camera, and you took the blame.” He bowed as well.

Rebecca studied them for a moment longer before declaring, “Slavery.”

“Slavery?” Sungyeol repeated incredulously. “What are you talking about?!”

The girl scowled again. “If you haven’t realised, that jerk over there,” she spat, pointing towards Myungsoo, “stole my camera, insulted and accused me of being his ‘crazy fan’!”

“So? That doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be punished,” Myungsoo objected.

“Yes, it does!” Rebecca shot back. “That camera was my birthday gift from my family, and you just went and took it from me without saying anything! Not to mention, it’s my birthday and you’ve completely ruined everything!”

“Yah, Kim Myungsoo,” Hoya drawled. “Just do what she says. You deserve it.”

“What about Sungyeol?” Myungsoo protested.

“Yes, him too,” she agreed.

Sungyeol voiced his disagreement with a loud, outraged scream. “Traitor!”

“Well…” Rebecca considered. “The two of you will be slaves for the rest of the day, or one of you for half the time. Deal?”

“MYUNGSOO’S YOUR SLAVE!” Sungyeol quickly pushed said boy forward.

“Traitor.” Myungsoo scowled.

“Give me your camera so I have some leverage against you.”

“Go buy me some candy.”

“Go into the haunted house.”

“Start dancing.”

“You call that dancing? Get up.”

“Get away from me, your fans are creepy.”

“Come back, I want you to wear this hat.”

“Stand still, I need to take a picture of you in that stupid hat.”

“Stop falling down.”

“Wear the headband.”

“Kim Myungsoo, wear the headband.”

“Now stand still.”

“Stand still or I’ll throw your camera out.”

“Thank you. Buy the headband.”

“Go buy some ice-cream.”

Myungsoo swore. “You’re a slave driver!”

“You are my slave,” Rebecca retorted, crossing her arms. “Now go get ice-cream.”

“Why? Why do you need me to do it?” Myungsoo yelled. “Are you stupid? It’s not that hard to go buy some ice-cream.”

Rebecca was silent for a moment before she spoke in an icy voice. “Kim Myungsoo, go buy ice-cream.”

“No, I won’t,” Myungsoo snarled. “All your ridiculous demands have been more than enough punishment for me! I’ve paid for everything out of my own wallet, and I bet you it cost more than this camera! Go buy your own ice-cream.”

He didn’t know it was possible, but her expression turned into a mixture of fury, disgust and hate, and her voice was colder than ice. “Kim Myungsoo, shut the hell up and wait here while I buy my ice-cream.”

Too startled to react, Myungsoo watched as Rebecca retrieved her wallet and paid for a double-scoop of ice-cream, a gentle smile appearing on her face. It looked better than her scowl, in his opinion.

A little girl nearby was crying as she watched her dropped ice-cream melt, and Myungsoo could only stare as Rebecca approached the little girl and presented her with the newly-bought ice-cream. The little girl beamed and gratefully accepted the ice-cream as Rebecca made her way back to Myungsoo.

Almost instantly the frown came back once she turned away from the little girl. “Happy?”

With no response, she continued. “Our deal’s over. I never want to see your arrogant jerk face again, okay?” Glaring fiercely, Rebecca melted back into the crowd.

“Wait, Rebecca!” Myungsoo willed his body into action, pushing through the crowds to find her. “Look, I’m sorry!”

It was easier to spot her small figure once she’d stopped. “What did I say before?”

“I’m really sorry,” Myungsoo said earnestly. “You’re right, I’m just an arrogant jerk but, please, forgive me? I’ll be your slave for the rest of the fair, if you want!”

“Not only are you a jerk, you’re stupid as well,” Rebecca sneered. “I told you, I never want to see you again and I definitely don’t want you as a slave, idiot.” Turning on her heel, the girl marched off again.

“You’re an idiot, Myungsoo,” Sunggyu said wisely. “But if she hates you, too bad.”

“She doesn’t want to see you again, obviously,” Woohyun added cheerfully.

“Look at the sky!” Sungjong clapped his hand with delight, admiring the beautiful sunset. “Hyung, can you take a picture?”

Myungsoo shook his head morosely.

“Why not?” Sungjong pouted. “Can I have a go?”

“No.”

“Yah, Myungsoo, stop brooding.” Sunggyu rolled his eyes. “Just go and apologise already.”

“There’s too many people here,” the younger boy argued. “How am I supposed to find her?”

“I’m sure you’ll find her in a few hours,” Sunggyu said calmly. “We’ll meet you back here at the end of the fair.”

“But I–”

“Have fun!” Woohyun yelled, rudely shoving Myungsoo away from their small group.

“Rebecca!” Said girl winced at the way he pronounced her English name; his Korean accent was horribly obvious.

“Are you here to apologise again?” She crossed her arms, but didn’t look as annoyed as before.

“No, I’m not,” Myungsoo said, getting down on one knee. Around them, people started to stare and whisper, but to their disappointment, he produced an ice-cream cone from behind his back and said brightly, “Happy birthday, Rebecca!”

He had been expecting a rejection and more insults, but to Myungsoo’s surprise, Rebecca burst into giggles, graciously accepting the ice-cream. “Thanks!”

Myungsoo quickly got to his feet. “So are we cool?”

She thought for a moment. “No.”

“What? Are you kidding me?”

“Well, what do I have to do to earn your forgiveness?” Myungsoo pouted.

Rebecca laughed again. “I thought you knew me better than that,” she teased. “Weren’t you expecting me to reject you or something? I bet you had some backup plan.”

Myungsoo’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “What?”

“Go on,” the girl said, fully enjoying herself. “I want to see what else you have to show me.”

Hoping with all his heart that his friends were nowhere near, Myungsoo took her hands into his and sang.

You are drifting away
You’re becoming [to look like] a point, far away
My feet won’t move
Only my heart is chasing and following you
I still
Can’t even explain it
You’re taking a step back, goodbye
For just a moment, i goodbye, goodbye

Nothing’s over (nothing’s over)
Nothing’s over (nothing’s over)
Nothing’s over, you’re reciting a spell to me

(INFINITE – Nothing’s Over)

“Rebecca Choi, please, please, please forgive me,” Myungsoo said, for hopefully the last time. “I’ll do anything you want, but please forgive me.”

To his relief, she was grinning at him in an almost mischievous manner. “I want you to do one thing for me.”

“Anything,” Myungsoo agreed.

Giggling once more, she let go of his hands and stood to the side to reveal the rest of INFINITE standing there, all with cameras in their hands. “Smile for the camera!”

All at once, multiple flashes from several different cameras blinded him; fortunately, he was able to spit coherent words out of his mouth. “Yah, what the hell, hyungs? Did you set this whole thing up? ANSWER ME!”

The six boys and one girl were almost hysterical with laughter, clutching their stomachs as their eyes filled with tears.

“We didn’t plan the whole thing,” Hoya choked out, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. “It was only your apology that we figured.”

“Why would you do this?” Myungsoo scowled. “You don’t even know her!”

“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong,” Rebecca said sweetly, walking over to Woohyun who wrapped his arm around her waist.

Myungsoo blinked several times in surprise. “Wait, you guys are dating?!” He couldn’t help but feel disappointed by this revelation.

“Oh, are you jealous?” Woohyun teased. “Don’t worry, little dongsaeng, Rebecca’s only my cousin.”

“So I’m free to accept your confession!” She smiled happily.

Poor Myungsoo was still bewildered by everything. “Confession?”

“Your song. I’m assuming it was a confession…and if it wasn’t, that whole ice-cream-proposal thing works as well.” Rebecca shrugged nonchalantly. “And if I was completely wrong, do you want to go out sometime?”

“Well, we got off on the wrong foot,” Myungsoo admitted. “So let’s start over, okay? My name is Kim Myungsoo.”

“Rebecca Choi.”

“So, Rebecca,” Myungsoo continued. “How about we go grab some ice-cream and get to know each other?”

“Sounds like a great idea,” Rebecca agreed, casually reaching for his hand. The two of them walked into the crowds, hands linked in a picture perfect moment.

“Don’t trust him, Rebecca!” Woohyun hollered. “He’s actually a–” The rest of the sentence was muffled by Sunggyu’s hand.

“Leave them alone, Woohyun. Just because you can’t get a girlfriend doesn’t mean Myungsoo can’t.”

“Hey!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ! Hope you liked it even though it was a bit last-minute and extremely random OTL