All gathered in the cafeteria, 60 Seconds was just being their usual selves: a concoction of a rational leader and his four-dimensional members.

“Yeol! Your face is a mess!” nagged Myungsoo. “Can’t you eat like less of a barbarian?”

“I’m a man!” argued Sungyeol. “I don’t need to listen to you.”

Myungsoo posed as if he was about to take off his red leather jacket—a jacket he wore just because Sungyeol told him to. “If you don’t clean yourself up, I’ll remove this jacket.”

“No!”

“I’ll remove it,” He lowered the jacket halfway through his arms. “C’mon, it’ll just get lower.”

“Fine.” With a pout, Sungyeol got a nearby napkin and wiped his face.

He smirked. “Awesome.”

“Dude, hug,” bitter Sungyeol requested.

“Sure.” With a confident smile, Myungsoo wrapped his arms around his boyfriend who in return nestled himself onto his neck. This made Sunggyu feel slightly bothered, maybe because he couldn’t feel it for himself.

“Can you guys be quiet? I’m eating here,” he said, his mouth filled with food to distract him from being reminded that he’s still single. “Be like Sungjong, he’s quiet.”

“He’s just quiet ‘cause Yura’s not here yet,” stated Dongwoo. “Just wait and see. When Yura comes over, his face will be shinin’ bright like a diamond.”

Everyone except Sunggyu chuckled over his Rihanna joke.

Dongwoo leaned closer to him. “But going back to you and Hyuna…”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Aw, c’mon!” whined Sungyeol. “Just spill the details.”

“No.”

“Spill it, please,” said Sungjong. “We’re gonna run out of things to talk about anyway.”

“That’s because you’re only curious about my being a single loner,” said Sunggyu. “And besides, you’re single too, Jong. Why don’t we talk about your newfound rival instead?”

Sungjong gave him an intense death glare. His irises seemed to grow wider and grow pitch black, the wrinkles in his brows were evident and despite his charming aesthetics, his expression alone was reminiscent of a beastly wolf.

“Okay, fine.” Accepting defeat and thinking that he needed to talk about it anyway, he said, “She found out that I like her… I guess I wasn’t so good in hiding it.”

“Yeah,” the other four bluntly stated. “No surprises there.”

His temper rose a bit but regardless, he continued, “I don’t even know if she likes me back or if she’s ready to start anew. It’s really awkward being around her, I admit. So basically, our status can be identified as ‘stuck in a pit of uncertainty’.”

“I feel sorry for you, bro,” comforted Dongwoo, patting Sunggyu’s back. Sunggyu couldn’t help but also feel sorry for him. While Dongwoo was always smiling and looked as if he ran out of tears to shed, he had been head over heels in love with a girl who doesn’t even seem to appreciate him for a very long time.

“Oh, this day’s been pretty tiring,” Yura said as she sat down holding her tray of food.

“Yura!” Sungjong’s face lit up instantly. He stole some food from Yura with his chopsticks and stuffed it in his mouth.

“Jong, that’s mine!”

“Too bad,” Sungjong joked then gave her some of his food in return anyway.

Dongwoo gave Sunggyu the I-told-you-so stare.

“Whatever,” said Sunggyu, crossing his arms and looking away.

From afar, they could see Hyuna stomping toward the table with a dramatically hyper sad face. They could even hear her whimpering until she plopped to the table beside Sunggyu with nothing to eat. She smacked her head flat against the table.

“I gained a few pounds! My life is over!” she declared in distress.

They all stared at Sunggyu, silently urging him to say something.

He knew that weight was a very delicate (dangerous) topic for women so he tried to choose his words wisely. Hesitantly, he asked, “Have you been eating too much ice cream again?”

She nodded, her face still pressed facedown on the table.

He awkwardly patted her head. The others silently tried their best to hold their laughs.

“It’s okay—“

“No!” Hyuna lashed out and fisted the table. “It’s not okay! I had a breakup and it took a while to recover. So what?! Now I’m fat!”

“Well, you’re not really fat,” said Sunggyu.

“Not really?”

“You’re not fat.”

“Then you’re saying I’m a skinny ?”

“No, no. Your figure’s just fine. Very… proportional and befitting of someone like you.”

I’m dying here, Sunggyu thought.

Finally, Hyuna calmed down and sighed. “Still, I’m not eating.”

“You gotta eat something,” Sunggyu said in concern.

“No.”

“You. Eat. Now,” he ordered, sticking out a piece of his shrimp in front of her face. She kept shut in protest but gave up when he kept poking her face while yelling “eat!” After that one shrimp, Sunggyu fed her a few more things ‘till CL came along. Surprisingly, she was smiling.

“Guys, I’ve been scouted,” she announced. “I’m gonna be a model.”

“Nice!” cheered Dongwoo, successfully high-fiving her.

She told them that she was approached after the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ performance a while back and that she will be having her first photo shoot later tonight. The band will also have a small article in that magazine and that Yura and Hyuna can come along as well to witness what will happen behind the scenes. It was a win-win situation for everyone. The band will get some publicity, CL will be able to live her dream of possibly being given free stuff, and Hyuna and Yura will experience a tidbit of how shoots come about. Time passed like that ‘till the bell rang.

---

Math class with Onew could never have been harder. While he was really funny and dorky, his lessons were hella’ hard that every time he ended his classes, the students were totally brain-dead. But somehow they survived that day with the thought of the shoot nearing.

---

Time came that the group came into the set of the shoot. Upon entering, they already felt the aura of the backbreaking fashion industry. Most of the staff were busily moving around and preparing the set coolly. Most people would probably be intimidated although they were different; this motivated them especially the girls who couldn’t stop ogling at the clothing racks and makeup tables.

“This is paradise,” said Yura, wide-eyed. She never looked so excited in her life.

Soon, the photographer came in and greeted them looking really satisfied. “You’ve brought really good-looking friends here, CL.”

“They are, aren’t they?” she replied in agreement.

With a wide smile, he said, “I can’t wait to shoot them all.”

“W-ait, what?” Yura was surprised.

Pointing to both herself and Yura, Hyuna was feeling the same. “We’re just here to help with the concept, hair, and makeup, right?”

 “I lied,” CL admitted playfully. “If I said that you guys would be in the shoot, you’d be complaining about your ‘weight gain’ and Yura will keep reasoning that her blablahs are too big, her shortness will be a problem, and so on when in fact, you both look great. Be comfortable in your own skin.”

The two sighed in defeat. That was an opportunity that they couldn’t possibly miss after all.

The eight were ushered into their respective dressing rooms wherein they wore the clothes that were handpicked by the staff. The concept of the shoot varied per person. The band was the first to step out of their dressing rooms wearing black studded leather jackets and black ripped jeans.

CL entered not long after sporting her usual femme fatale chic. Her hair was in a messy bun with a bandana tied around her head, and her outfit had an electric red jacket layered over a graphic tee that was complemented with Dr Martens boots and printed Aztec skinny jeans. As for her accessories, she had shades, chains dangling on the side of her shorts, and some vintage rings. She went over to Dongwoo’s place and complimented him; it was something that she hadn’t done in a very long time.

“You look great,” she said with a big smile. Dongwoo played with her chains and said, “Badass.”

Hyuna then entered the room in a very y outfit. She wore a loose white tank top with the words “What’s your name?” splattered in black, ripped denim shorts, and a pair of dark brown studded high-heeled boots. There was some arm candy on her wrists which complemented her smokey eye makeup and seductive red lipstick.

“Hi,” she waved at Sunggyu cutely.

Sunggyu didn’t look so amused in return. “Hey, are you sure that isn’t t-t-oo revealing?”

“C’mon, Gyu, her tank doesn’t even show any cleavage,” Sungyeol pointed out in defense. “That’s just you.”

“Are you calling me a ?” asked Hyuna threateningly in an immediate mood change. “Or are you simply implying that I can’t pull this off ‘cause I’m fat now!”

“Wait, Hyuna—“

Before Sunggyu could even finish his sentence, she had already rushed out of the dressing room. And as he went to chase after her, Yura came into the dressing room in return. Sungjong’s jaw dropped the moment he saw her. Her hair was tied into a cute puffy ponytail and at the top of her head was a big pink bow making her big eyes stand out. She had on a loose pink sweater with a big black heart in the center, black shorts, and ribbon-embellished doll shoes. Her makeup was simple with the pink blush slightly standing out; she looked like a cute doll in his eyes.

“Hey,” she timidly greeted Sungjong with a wave. “Do I look okay?”

 “Yeah, you look really cute, Yura,” he replied, stood up and bounced her ponytail up and down on his palm. “Reeeally cute.”

She blushed in return. “Thanks, Jong.”

“How ‘bout me?” He a pose. “Am I manly now?”

“You look manly, but you’re acting cute,” she honestly remarked.

Inside, a steak was pierced through his heart. Still, he tried his best to compose himself and managed to say, “Then I guess I’ll just have to show you how manly I can be. Later, watch me closely in the shoot and I promise you your legs will fall weak just by merely glancing at me.”

It sounded mostly like a joke, but Sungjong made sure that she got the message. Her only reply to that was a gulp and a shriveled expression. When the staff member called for them, he patted her shoulder to momentarily comfort her before he was going to put on his performance.

---

The band members were the first to have their shoot so Sunggyu had to momentarily postpone his struggle in explaining himself to Hyuna. The six of them were positioned accordingly by the photographer. Behind them was a solid gray background.

“Alright, let’s start,” the photographer cued, holding onto his camera.

The moment the flashes came, Sungjong’s gaze turned captivatingly manly. And true to his word, Yura looked like a fragile little doll watching him from the set. Hyuna on the other hand was trying to act indifferent, but eventually (yet discretely) gave in to Sunggyu’s chic charisma. It continued like that ‘till the last shot was taken. CL then took their place later on. Her set simply had a white background and some punk-themed props like spiked clubs, rusty metal chairs, and the like.

While Dongwoo was cheering for her, Sungjong and Yura were having a convo inside the band’s emptied dressing room. Yura sat on a chair whereas Sungjong leaned against the makeup table. Both barely spoke for a few moments— in deep thought until Yura spoke.

“I take back what I said, you can look manly.”

He scoffed. “I told you I could.”

“I don’t understand why you felt so angry though,” she said, still experiencing the aftermath of his intimidation. “I mean, at first I thought you were just gonna casually prove your point but after seeing your shoot, I’m kinda really scared to piss you off now.”

Upon hearing her openly saying those, he suddenly felt a bit guilty of making her feel that way. Perhaps, he did let the anger get the worst of him. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and slightly squeezed it. “I’m sorry. It’s true that I do get carried away when my manliness gets questioned. Everyone has their own flaws; mine’s my temper. I just didn’t wanna lose to Jinyoung. Everyone’s always considering him as the ultimate heathrob with his responsible yet romantic charisma. Truth be told, I find it really annoying.”

“It’s fine, Jong,” she said reassuringly as she playfully hit his arm. “And come to think of it, you have your manly moments. Remember when you took the fall for me despite having your back hurt like hell beforehand? Yeah, that took a lot of courage and endurance. I still feel really bad about it.”

He ruffled her hair and angelically chuckled. She blushed seeing his sweet smile in contrast to his rebellious appearance. The opposites somehow blended harmoniously to make such a handsome guy. She swore she imagined pink flowers bordering his face like a pretty picture frame in her mind, but she shrugged the thought away after being embarrassed by herself.

“Don’t worry about my back,” he said. “What mattered was that I was able to prove to you that I am a harmless person that day.”

“Well, you sure did prove yourself to be more than just harmless. Please don’t think I’m weird but you’re the one I look forward to seeing everyday now. I don’t wanna be in the position to sound like I know you or anything like that but I’ve seen you laugh, I’ve seen you cry. And through this short time, you’re someone I can really trust. Because of you, I’m able to speak paragraphs to you—a guy—now. As for other guys, well, I’m improving.”

Sungjong let out a deep exhale as he grinned. He suddenly caught Yura off guard by holding her hand. Gazing straight to her eyes, he said, “Thank you, Yura. I really appreciate that.”

“S-sure,” she replied while she blushed and turned her head away. Subconsciously, she tightened her grip, feeling the warmth of his hand and cherishing it while it lasted.

---

Back inside the shoot stood Sunggyu and Hyuna side by side barely speaking to each other. Yura entered alongside Sungjong because her photo shoot was about to start. The two couldn’t help but feel jealous of their friendliness and it wasn’t until before the middle of Yura’s shoot that they finally spoke to each other.

Slouching backwards with his hands supporting the weight of his body, Sunggyu commented, “You do know you’re not fat, right?”

She didn’t respond.

“Here you go again with the silent treatment,” he said, trying to be patient with her. It something that he doesn’t even do for his fellow band mates. “To be quite frank, I don’t like it when people do that, but you’re an exception. Don’t ask me why. You already know.”

“Mm,” she responded weakly in a breathy tone, head facing the floor.

“There, that’s better,” he remarked. “Now that I got your attention, I’d like to say that first off, you’re hard to talk to when you’re insecure. Heck, you’re the y queen of the school yet you feel this way.” He paused shortly. “Aren’t you supposed to be a cocky instead?”

She glared at him. “Hey!”

“Just joking. But seriously, you’re... beautiful. You’re really beautiful, okay? Don’t bring yourself down by what you think is ugly when you look into the mirror because what I see is a girl that just oozes with charm and charisma.” When she saw her face brighten up, he warned, “And don’t even think of—“

He was too late.

“Hugging me,” he finished monotonously. Before he knew it, she tackled and coiled her arms around him to death. He could barely breathe but secretly, he enjoyed it. Sungyeol and Myungsoo put their thumbs up in the background, rooting for him in mute while doing exaggerated cheering actions like silent woot woots and whatnot.

“Hyuna, please enter the set soon,” called out one of the staff members. They hadn’t realized that Yura was already done with her photo shoot.

As she stood up, Sunggyu patted her back. “Do well.”

She smiled in return.

In the end, everyone’s shoot was a success. When they got home it was almost dawn so they went straight to bed. Some even wore their makeup to sleep and didn’t care anymore. That night, they only had three hours of sleep which meant that the next day was a total pain the . But it was all worth it.

Hey guys~! Sorry for not updating for a while but here's a new chapter.

No Jinyoung for today, but to fill out the anger expressed by the Jinjong duo, an insecure Hyuna was there to rage out to nobody but Gyu bwahah~! >:)

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it~! :D