As per unanimous vote, this story will be chaptered. I've also decided to just pick up after the foreword. Sorry for the short chapter. I'm still a student and I personally prefer more updates to long updates. If you would prefer longer updates with more wait time in between, feel free to comment or message me.

Myungsoo wins his first brownie point for dismissing Sungjong’s stylist. He sends her off with a smile that makes her faint, and many of his fans as well. “You’ve worked hard,” he says, and she doesn’t even bother to bring up the fact that she hasn’t done anything yet. “Take the rest of the day off.”

Sungjong just stands coldly, just barely hiding the amusement in his eyes, as Myungsoo dismisses staff member after staff member with his infinite charms until the studio is empty and even the fans have left the room –either swayed by Myungsoo’s smiles, Sungjong’s lack thereof, or dragged away after fainting from an overload of the two combined.

Expressionless eyes face sparkling bright ones. Sungjong raises an eyebrow. “So now that you’ve dismissed all my staff and scared off all my fans, what do you plan on doing now?”

He notes for a moment all the crazy, dirty responses his past photographers would come up with. Then Myungsoo widens his smile and holds out his hand. “Take photos of course.”

Sungjong is staring at snow, knee-high. He’s dressed in clothing warmer than anything erted photographers and stylists would have chosen –but it would still make any normal human being freeze just looking at it. Sungjong decides to give Myungsoo thirty seconds more before he decides to start questioning his new photographer’s sanity.

Myungsoo wins him over in fifteen.

Between Myungsoo’s warm smiles, warmer laughter, and sheer happiness from running around in the snow, Sungjong completely forgets the cold. The ribbed, knit leggings that seemed impossibly cold earlier have retained his body heat, and when paired with the classic knee high boots and corduroy shorts, the outfit doesn’t feel quite as ridiculous anymore. His wool coat is stylish but warm, and Myungsoo opts for a solid knit top rather than the crazy prints Sungjong’s stylist swears is the current trend.

Sungjong begrudgingly awards Myungsoo his second brownie point for his impeccable taste in fashion, and even more impeccable talent for capturing it.

Sungjong is surprised by the light in his eyes when Myungsoo shows him the first photo. Myungsoo doesn’t hide his laughter when Sungjong’s jaw drops –just a little bit –and his image of perfection slips just enough to reveal the eminently human and rather childish countenance beneath. Sungjong retaliates with a pout. He decides to ignore the click of the shutter, but he can’t ignore Myungsoo’s voice.

“You’re cute.” The red burning up his cheeks melts the snow around him, and the sound of his heart thumping overrides the soft clicks of the camera. Sungjong pretends none of it is happening: the coloring of his cheeks, the smile sneaking across his face, and the now deafening beat of his heart.

Myungsoo takes off his scarf and wraps it around Sungjong’s neck.

Even Sungjong is not talented enough to pretend now. 

Sungjong is surprised when his manager comments on Myungsoo’s skill; not because Myungsoo is not talented, but because his compliments are so… straightforward. Sungjong chides himself for letting this surprise show –a fact that only registers when his manager’s expression begins to mirror his own –but forgives himself slightly when his manager reveals the photos Myungsoo has submitted for the calendar.

There is snow, and it is cold. The landscape is ethereal, and Sungjong’s presence in his perfectly matched outfit completes the magnificence his manager cannot stop praising. But the creeping smiles, the rosy blushes, all the emotion that Sungjong had tried so hard not to reveal, was missing from these photos.

Sungjong wastes a full minute wondering why Myungsoo didn’t submit those shots. His mind wanders from the idea that smiles do not suit him as well as expressionless eyes to the possibility that his staff would not approve of happy and Sungjong in the same sentence. Then he gives up and resolves to remain expressionless next time, the way he always has.

His resolve lasts until a text message from an unknown sender arrives, coated with emoticons and hearts and far too long of a “kekeke.” Attached is a photo of himself, with a rather familiar scarf draped around his neck and tangled in his fingers. Sungjong hopes the sender remains unaware of the thoughts that caused his fingers to tangle in that scarf.

Fortunately, Myungsoo isn’t quite as dense as Sungjong.

In fact, Myungsoo is very aware of his feelings. He always has been, he thinks as he stirs his tea nonchalantly. His camera sits innocently on the edge of the table, teasing the rest of the world with photos of a beautiful smile they’ve never seen before.

Myungsoo thinks of sharing, just for a moment, but he decides he wants to hoard this treasure –just a little while longer. After all, he decides, your smile is not mine to give. He takes another sip from the tea and notes that it tastes a little sweeter this time. He wonders if everything is sweeter if he thinks of Sungjong.

Myungsoo stares out the window as he is prone to do on days like today –the snow drizzling, the streets busy, and wind visiting every so often just to remind the people that it’s still here. He decides to think; he’s very good at thinking. He thinks about how Sungjong makes a better model than he did. He thinks about how he’s very biased in this opinion. He thinks about the photos and his tea and the most recent book he’s read; and when he’s done thinking he begins to wonder.

But the only thing he wonders today, is how much patience it will require for Sungjong to come to him.

Thanks for reading. I'm still recovering from all the love this story has received. I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.