title: Out-jerked and out-loved

genre: romcom, model!au

word count: 8.5 k

rating: pg-13

Summary: Sehun is a rising model, when he meets Minseok, a hater of the beautiful, he gets to reevaluate his priorities

note: same-aged Minseok Sehun, pardon inconsistencies as I wrote this ages ago, forgot about it, and discovered it in my draft recently, I also forgot what I wanted with this story so I just wrote my way through it, so here is this thing

---

 

 

 

Sehun is a model - one of the many not one of a kind – according to the newest issue of a fashion magazine. His agent, Junmyeon, was furious about the unkind article and called Sehun right away.

“Yes, I saw the article Hyung but I dunno, it kinda have a point don’t you think?”

“What is the point? Ruin your career? I’m calling the mag.”

“What for? to –hello?”

---

Granted, Sehun really is flawlessly good-looking but in this time of make-up and photo-editing, that is unnecessary, and in the world of fashion, even lacklustre. He’s already proven he’s really nice to look at – the challenge now is to keep everyone looking. First step: He should stop being packaged as the perfect man – perfect is boring. If we can see a flaw in one face like Sehun that would be interesting – flawsome. But another spread of his “flawless” face? No

---

.The article echoes in his mind while he’s on the way down from his apartment. He examines his morning, make-up free face and shower-damp, dyed blonde hair on the elevator mirror. What do they want to see? This face? His career will go down together with this eyebags. The elevator dings. He turns away from his reflection lest be suspected a narcissist by the boy that comes in and oh---he drops his car keys.

 

Because the guy who walked in looks like , he is wearing black, all over, pants, shirt, hoodie, even his hair is night black and falling messily over his face, he badly needs a haircut. Against all the black is a very pale chalk-white skin that has the sickly look of spending too much time in the library. His eyes look exhausted, sleep-deprived for a thousand years. All in all he looks like death, a very beautiful death.

Sehun slowly retrieves his keys from the elevator floor so he can make those observations. He stands and shakes the keys with a small smile to the stranger as if to say got it and the beautiful stranger raises a brow like good for you and — how?  

“How do you do that?”

“What?” the stranger asks, looking confused and probably thinking why is this random person talking to me?

“Be flawsome?”

“Excuse me?”

Of course someone outside Sehun’s world. He probably thought Sehun said some sort of disease. So to not offend him, Sehun hastily explains, “You know—when even your flaws are attractive. Awesome flaws. Flawsome. When everything about you adds up to perfection.”

He keeps his mouth tight shut after that, afraid he’ll say things like “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“Flawsome?” the stranger says with a questioning tilt in his tone and his lips. Sehun stares shamelessly, already imagining the stranger’s face on different types of spreads and covers. “Sounds incredibly----gay.”

Sehun chokes.

This is the first time his compliment is met with hostility and damn he practically just worshipped this guy’s beauty and the guy thinks---he thinks, well yeah, what he said is quite gay.

“Well that’s because I am,” Sehun says proudly.

“Good to know,” the stranger deadpans.

The elevator opens and just like that the guy is going away---

“W--Wait!”

He catches up to him in front the floor to ceiling mirror of the lobby and Sehun is momentarily distracted by their reflection, how they look good together, tall and short.

 “Hi! I’m Sehun, a model and....” Explanations mindlessly fall out of his mouth, of how he thinks Minseok’s face structure and aura is so unlike his and it will help in giving Sehun inspiration on how to look different, have some sort of edge to his apparently boringly handsome face and jumpstart his going stagnant career.

“So can I take a photo of you?”

He knows he’s being quite aggressive, but his career is taking an early downfall and he has to take steps and he’s not letting this one go without getting a little piece.

“How do I know you’re not just a part of a syndicate that photoshops faces of unknowing victims into ?”

“WHAT?” Sehun asks, a little scandalized for being accused of such thing but also inwardly wondering if if Minseok’s face is indeed material. His eyes fall to Minseok’s pink lips and he decides, definitely yes. . He shakes off the thought and tries to look as respectable and model-like as possible.

“You can check, you can google me if you want. It’s Oh Sehun.”

He receives a piercing look and a sharp intake of breath, as if Sehun is a piece of an unbelievably hard math problem.

“Well---you do look like it,” the stranger decides.

“Like what?”

“Like a stereotypical model.”

“Stereo---typical? How so?”

Because that is exactly his career problem right now. He looks stereotypical.

“If you’re fishing for compliments---I—“

“No no no I’m not, fine forget it, but---photo please? just one?” he asks putting his hands together like a prayer, phone between his palms.

The stranger looks away. “God is testing me,” he mutters to himself.

Sehun laughs but the stranger looks at him with that piercing look again so he stops laughing and gives him a polite smile instead.

He looks at Sehun some more, bites his lower lips, releases them, blinks and then finally agrees.

Sehun gets a little entranced it takes him a second before answering.

“Great!” he pipes and then holds the guy lightly by the arm. “If you can just move a little this way please, the light is right above you there, okay that’s it yeah.”

The guy looks like he’s regretting this already, being directed around isn’t part of the bargain but he looks he wants to get it over with.

Sehun says more satisfied words while snapping the photo and in his enthusiasm doesn’t realize he already snapped five. He checks the photos, giving out random comments about them and when he looks up, he realizes he’s taking to no one. He’s already gone.

 

 

 

-

“Here comes the flawlessly good-looking,” Chanyeol greets, quoting the damn article.

Sehun doesn’t pay attention to it as well as the jibe from Luhan and Jongin.

Junmyeon enters with all his I talked to the mag and guess what speech until Jongdae, top model and Sehun’s mentor reasoned that what the article did was to set high expectations and anticipation for Sehun’s next work. No real damage has been done, not yet, not until Sehun really fails to deliver and prove the article right.

“Which will never happen,” Jongdae says with a confident hand on Sehun’s shoulder.

“Bottom line,” Jongin chimes. “More eyes are on you dude – expecting you to fall but---when you actually soar, success will be damn sweeter believe me.

Sehun gulps, staring at his reflection on the mirror. But what if he did fail? He wasn’t worried until now. He really can’t find any edge to the face blinking back at him. He sees this face every day, and there is really nothing unusual about him, nothing special. Then he remembers the stranger and how he told him he looks stereotypical.

Yes that’s it! He has to not look exactly like a model. People have to look at him and wonder what does he do? what kind of person is he? what’s his story?

 “Jongdae, how do you think blue hair will go on me?” He asks out of sheer instinct and want for drastic, reckless change.

Junmyeon groans in protest while Jongin suggests “You’ll look like a kpop idol.”

“Or a hippie,” Luhan adds.

“No, you’ll look anime,” Chanyeol says with conviction.

 “Or you’ll look cool—like a rock star,” Jongdae says, eyes already twinkling in excitement at the prospect of make-over.

Sehun smiles because all of that is what’s he wants to go for – idol, hippie, anime, rock star and more. He has to look like someone who can be anyone. Like a fascinating stranger with an untold story.

 

 

 

 

 

-

Every time Sehun rides the elevator in his apartment complex, he keeps an eye out for a certain someone.

But only after two weeks, he manages to chance him again.

He distractedly gets inside the elevator one night and--- there he is. Sehun almost didn’t recognize him. Actually, Sehun did a double take.

This time he’s wearing a baby blue pullover with the sleeves pushed to gather by the elbow and an even lighter shade of blue beanie collecting his hair nicely away from his face which gives Sehun the chance to fully appreciate his eyebrows and forehead. It is like seeing him for the very first time again – a significant variation from all the black he’s wearing last time.

He gives Sehun a curious look, eyes flickering upwards to his now blue sky hair.

“Hey we match,” he jokes, pointing out all the blue.

“Yeah,” Sehun chuckles, running a hand up his hair. He’s a little surprise and confused why the mysterious stranger is being sunshiny and friendly this time round.

He likes it though, and takes advantage of it.

“I never got your name.”

“It’s Minseok.”

“Minseok.”

A girl with groceries rides with them and she won’t stop glancing at Sehun- his hair first, then his face, then steals another look in his general direction. Minseok is giving him competition though, because the girl is now looking at him – sly and shy glances. But unlike Sehun who just stood there, Minseok gives the girl a kind and small smile, and a slight upward tilt of the head as if to say hey there. The poor girl shifts on his feet and holds onto his dear groceries tighter, unable to return Minseok smile, eyes going a little wide and it seems like she’s not breathing.

Minseok is smiling still, oblivious to its effect and Sehun nudges him and wordlessly points out that he’s about to give the girl a panic attack. Luckily they reach the girl’s floor and she makes to exit looking both relieved and sorry to leave.

“Sadist,” Sehun whispers when the door slides back to place and he feels the subtle jolt of the elevator.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You did that on purpose.”

“Did what?”

Sehun contemplates saying trying to kill that girl with your smile, but instead says, “Man, you should not be given that good-looks, you’re not using it responsibly.”

To his surprise Minseok looks away, looking uncomfortable, no, insulted. Who the hell gets insulted by compliments?

“You should learn how to take compliments,” he says even though he’s in no position.

“And you should stop living off them.”

“Excuse me? I don’t—I’m not-- You don’t even know me.”

“What’s there to know? You’re a model, you earn your living from looking good, you need people thinking you look good, and you need them reassuring you with compliments, more compliments, more money for you. Literally.”

Sehun goes blank, he doesn’t hear the elevator ding and is only half-aware that Minseok is making his way out.

Wow. wow wow wow.

The elevator doors are starting to slide close.

Wow what a jerk.

Sehun jumps to press the open button.

“Go out with me?” he asks breathily, surprising both Minseok and himself.

They stay like that, Sehun pressing insistently on the button to keep the door open, Minseok staring at him in that contemplative, solving an unbelievably hard math problem way.

“Why?” Minseok asks cynically as if he’s already convinced it’s a very bad idea.

“Why?! Because I will ing prove you wrong about me and I’ll ing teach you to appreciate a damn compliment!”

They’re both jerks, it’s a magical connection – Sehun thinks. His blood is rushing on his ears and he’s breathing hard because of the outburst of emotion.

Minseok shifts on his feet and bites on his lips looking like he’s restraining himself from agreeing.

He looks away and says that same, “God is really testing me”, before saying, “You know what? Yeah lets...coffee? This Saturday?”

 In Sehun’s daze, he almost lets the door to completely close on Minseok’s face. He presses the open button with mild panic. “I’d love to!” he blurts out as soon as door is widely open again. “But--- I don’t have your number?”

“Give me your phone.”

He s around for his phone with one hand, not daring to pull the other that keeps the door open.

“Here.”

He is too busy running his schedule through his mind to make sure he’s free on Saturday to pay attention on Minseok’s amused face while tapping on his phone.

“Nice background,” Minseok says handing the phone over to him and quickly disappearing down the corridor before Sehun can react.

What?

Sehun doesn’t have to look at his phone to remember.

He has set Minseok’s photo as his background.

 

Well, .

Oh damn.

 

 

 

-

Always on the receiving end of admiration and have the upper-hand in flirting, Sehun can’t sleep that night - twisting and turning in the darkness of his bed and unforgiving himself for the background photo fiasco. He turns to his stomach and groans to his pillow.

Asking Minseok’s photo was weird, alright. He’s proud of being weird. But setting it as background is another story. On another dimension of weird---plus creepy.

And yeah, another problem, Minseok doesn’t like models, seems to consider them inferior and shallow. (It’s alarming how Sehun doesn’t, even on the slightest, hate him for this.) Wait, when he first told Minseok that he’s a model, Minseok probably thought, whoop loser.

But—Minseok agreed to go out with him so erase everything else.  That thought calms him down—so much that he feels around for his phone to check, once again, Minseok’s photos.

Laying on his back now, he has to squint and adjust his eyes to the new source of light in the stark dark room. After a couple of blinks, his phone screen comes into focus- and that photo – it is the last one he took, where Minseok is no longer looking at the camera but a little upwards and to the right—to Sehun’s face at that time—with an ambiguous little smirk. Minseok’s right ear is kinda blurry because Sehun was already putting his hand down when he took the photo but still, it’s Sehun’s favourite.

I’m getting myself some of this beauty – he promises himself.

 

 

 

 

 

-                                                                                                                  

 

The date comes and Minseok won’t stop teasing him about the photo. This jerk. But it makes the atmosphere light-hearted so it’s not so bad.

Of course Sehun is prepared. He points out how other people just randomly choose a photo of a pretty flower—or a butterfly—or nature scenes as screensaver just because they find the photos pretty but there is no meaning behind it whatsoever so what’s the difference with using a photo of a pretty person?

Minseok doesn’t buy it.

“I bet you display your phone around elderly women and wait for them to ask who’s that dear? your boyfriend?

Sehun splutters in denial and Minseok laughs at his expense.

The model grabs every opportunity to change the topic, “So by the way, how do you like the blue hair?”

Minseok inhales, an impatient way if expressing he doesn’t like the topic change, and he answers carelessly, “I like it better than the blonde, this has more personality. The blonde was like going for looking good while this looks to make a statement. Doesn’t matter that the color looks kinda off on you, it works. Off-looking and looking different....Can I ask something?” Minseok asks suddenly, before Sehun can react from what he said.

Sehun feels a weird satisfaction at being asked for permission first, but he says a non-committal, “Sure go ahead.”

“Do you think being a model is your job? Or is it your identity?”

“My job,” he answers quickly, a little defensively.

“Good. Just making sure that spending time with you, will not be all about discussing hair colors.”

Oh Minseok is really a jerk.

And Sehun is unfortunately .

“Already thinking about more dates, are you?” he asks trying to be the better jerk.

“Sure,” Minseok says and Sehun’s comeback dies in his throat because he’s expecting Minseok to deny not affirm, sarcastically.

 “Will you give a break in shooting me down? We’re on a date here.”

“Sorry,” Minseok says and he does sound slightly apologetic. “It’s a defence mechanism.”

“Defence mechanism?”

“Yeah, against the dangerously handsome and confident and all that recipe for trouble like you.”

“I’m trying to digest what you said but----you think I’m dangerously handsome?”

Minseok sighs, “What did I say about you living off compliments? And you dare say I’m wrong?”

Sehun clears his throat, “well, the compliment sounds sweeter when it’s from your lips.”

Minseok groans in disgust, “Oh god, are you the romantic type? Because I really can’t deal with that.”

“I’m not, I’m not, just quite honest. Like you. You and I same,” he ends with a meaningful look at Minseok.

“Uhu,” Minseok answers apathetically, not really getting what Sehun means.

“Oh come on Minseok, can’t you see it?”

“What?”

“The undeniable---chemistry, the pull, the energy, the tension, the---force of the universe that says you and I--- “ he looks Minseok in the eyes before finishing, “are meant to be.”

“OH GOD,” Minseok visibly shudders, “God is really testing me.”

Sehun frowns, remembering the other times Minseok said the phrase.

“Why do you always say that?”

“Because God is really testing me, don’t you know? I promised myself never ever to fall for the mercy of good looks, never ever go out with even a remotely handsome person, I promised myself and then---you appeared right in front of my eyes and then the next time, you asked me out, if you’re not a test against my hate for the good looking, then I don’t know what you are.”

Sehun stares at Minseok’s face. Minseok hates good looks, that’s probably why he doesn’t like Sehun complimenting him on that terms.

“And I’ve had enough share of---“ Minseok continues, taking the look on Sehun’s face as the look of someone who understands, “of people who told me they fell in love with my smile, my eyes, my lips, my , I mean—what about me? me the whole me? I’ve never had anyone who loved me for everything I am and I want to experience that, try that, look for that---not another—not another you! So I really don’t know what I’m doing here.”

Sehun gulps after Minseok’s rant, that really just means one thing.

“You—you’ve had your heart broken,” he poses it as a question but it comes out a statement.

Minseok however, shakes his head, slowly.

“I’ve never even fallen in love for real, not yet.”

Sehun opens his mouth, but nothing comes out so he just nods sympathetically.

“So ah--,” Minseok continues, “if you can really see something here, something in me? Erm---let’s not walk on the attraction but get to know each other, hang out and maybe be friends?”

“Maybe? there’s no doubt in my mind we can be friends. I told you we’re a good match.”

Minseok smiles, grateful for his terms getting considered and his space respected but Sehun inches closer and asks, “This means I can’t kiss you good night right?”

‘I’m just clarifying,” Sehun defends when Minseok rolled his eyes.

-

 

They didn’t kiss. Sehun walked Minseok to his door since Minseok’s floor comes first and then Minseok said they should hang-out again soon.

Sehun notes the word hang-out, not go out. But a wave behind closing doors felt like a natural ending to the day spent on just talking and getting to know each other.

Minseok might think it was a very mature thing to do, a little step towards a relationship far far away, to something serious but Sehun felt oddly like he’s back in highschool when he was groping his way through his very first real date.

 

-

 

By the fourth time they ‘hanged out’, Minseok finally kissed him, on the cheek. They were in front of the door, Minseok’s one hand already on the doorknob, the other on Sehun’s arm, and then he, actually, actually, stood on his toes to reach Sehun’s cheek.

Sehun had been disregarding their height difference until then. But now he’s hyper aware that he can probably push Minseok around and press him against a wall to get a proper kiss. But he didn’t do that but instead bids Minseok a sweet “good night.”

“Goodnight Sehun.”

“Sweet dreams hyung,” Sehun whispers, forehead resting on the closed door.

 

 

 

 

 

-

“Give me more with your eyes Sehun.”

“Look up a little.”

“Not so much, not so much.”

“Look straight to the camera, straight up, pierce the camera with your eyes.”

“No no don’t squint.”

 

Sehun is going crazy. He closes his eyes for a second to stop himself from punching the photographer.

 

“Open you eyes Sehun, straight to the camera please.”

you.

He feel so warm even though he’s shirtless, whole torso covered in body oil to accentuate the hard lines and planes of his body and bring the glow of his skin, this all for Q Magazines feature on top 10 hottest Men in Korea.

He suddenly feels hands on his hair and then comb and more hands that spread even more oil on his body while hearing the photographer whisper harshly with the mag editor, Junmyeon and Jongdae.

He hears words like, “you think it’s the hair?”, “a little off right?”, “Quite silly.”

His hair is dark green now and Sehun ing loves it.

The shoot resumes and he finds himself being thrown orders like “use your eyes Sehun, your lips, your body, make them fall in love with you.”

It sounds wrong. He remembers Minseok and how he hates that no one bothered to look beyond his outside appearance and get to know and fall in love with who he really is.

“Make them fall in love with your eyes.”

“Make them fall in love with your lips.”

“Make them fall in love with your body.”

It sounds so wrong.

He doesn’t look at his surrounding, tune out all the voices as he walks out of the scorching set and doesn’t come back.

 

 

 

 

 

-

He gets an earful from Junmyeon.

”If you have a problem with the shoot, talk to the team and work things out, solve your ing problem, where’s your professionalism? you don’t walk out and give problems to the staff, and now Q thinks you’re a ing primadonna.”

“Sehun,” Jongdae says gently, hand on his shoulder, “don’t think for a second you can’t ask for our help, what’s the problem?”

“I want to pull out of this project,” Sehun says softly as if he’s just telling it to himself.

Junmyeon is taking deep breathes, trying to stop himself from reacting harshly on what Sehun said.

Jongdae turns quiet, already weighing the pros and cons. “It can be done.”

“What?” Junmyeon asks sharply.

“The mag’s list of their voted top 10 is confidential, the mag will definitely cooperate in keeping quiet that Sehun wants out of the list, if it gets out it will not do well with their image either, the world will never know Sehun backed out from this project.”

“You can never keep something like this quiet.”

“Yeah but it will be just another tabloid gossip, not that big of an issue.”

“You can’t assure that.”

Sehun stares at the mirror in front of him, only half-listening to Junmyeon and Jongdae’s argument and it seems that his reflection is nodding encouragingly at him, supporting him in his decision.

 

 

 

 

-

“Someone is miraculously quiet,” Minseok observes while they sit on the balcony of Minseok’s apartment. They mostly switch on whose apartment to hang-out but they end up mostly in Minseok’s because he’s got more food and drinks, he can (slightly) cook and his place is tidier and Sehun feels calmer in here even if Minseok gives him hell when he goes through Minseok’s stuffs or when he (accidentally) rearranges furnitures or when he leaves dirty plates on the sink.

Minseok is watching him, waiting for an answer.

While contemplating his answer, a burning smell hits Sehun’s nostrils. Minseok smells it too and with a jolt out of his chair and an “Oh ,” he runs to the kitchen.

Sehun laughs while following Minseok with his eyes. Minseok goes straight to turn off the stove, cursing and coughing at the smoke, cursing some more when he gets burned by the pan, throwing the offensive pan at the sink and looking pissed as hell.

The model turns away and proceeds to oversee the road below, the moving cars, the sound of the traffic mixing with the clanking of pots in the kitchen.

And then Minseok curses some more, loud and long. Sehun smiles.

Like this, Minseok wearing baggy home clothes, Minseok without make up, without filter, without trying---Sehun thinks he’s the most beautiful.

And Sehun, Sehun has to be fit into all those clothes that makes it ing impossible to move, or sometimes Sehun has to take off his clothes, Sehun who has to be caked in make-up, and showered in body oil and then go through a lot of filters, filters, edit, filters, so he can look ideal, the perfect one.

It’s the wrong kind of beautiful. It’s no longer him.

 

Minseok comes back with a triumphant smile that Sehun lifts a questioning eyebrow.

“I salvaged three pieces of chicken,” Minseok explains. “But since you’re on a strict model body diet, I get to have two pieces, you one.”

“I can live with that,” he smiles.

Minseok looks at him for a while, sighs and moves to stand next to him. “Spill,” he orders.

Sehun is looking up the sky while Minseok is observing the traffic.

“I’m taking a break from work.”

Minseok looks over at him. “Shouldn’t you be happy you get a vacation?” he asks.

“Yeah—but it’s kind of a forced leave. I’m suspended is more like it.”

“Do models actually get sick leaves and pensions and such?” Minseok asks curiously, despite what he just said, and it gets Sehun to chuckle.

“So---why?” Minseok asks, seriously this time.

“I pulled out of the Q shoot and the agency didn’t like it so they’re punishing me.”

“Q is the hottest men shoot right?”

“Exactly the one.”

Minseok scrunches his face. “Man.....Q’s market is like cougars and old gay men, I think you made the right decision not to pose for them.”

“You’re talking about Q&M Minseok. Q is a lifestyle magazine targeted at young women. God, after a couple of months of hanging out with me you’re still clueless.”

“Whatever,” Minseok says flippantly, “It’s not as if you’ve got any clue about metallurgical engineering.”

“Fair enough.”

They settles in silence and after a while Sehun says softly, cautiously as if he’s sharing a secret, “It’s changing me Minseok, modelling. It’s trying to shape me into someone I’m not and I’m afraid to---forget who I really am.”

“Then I’ll remind you,” Minseok says simply, “I’ll slap you upside the head when I think you’re being this serious and dark and y model and not the weird crazy impulsive kid that you really are.”

Minseok smiles up to him and Sehun is very grateful, “Yeah you do that,” he says with a smile.

But he thinks that right now will be perfect if Minseok is his lover and he can lean down to kiss him and then Minseok will kiss him back and hold him and Sehun will melt to the embrace. And then everything else will seem unimportant.

In reality, he just swallows and look away, Minseok’s friendship has been very important to him because Minseok is a reminder that there is life out of modelling, and that looking gorgeous and y and perfect doesn’t matter, he can’t risk this just because he’s feeling weak right now and needing someone to hold him.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

“Man, I don’t mind being you right now,” Chanyeol is saying when he, Jongin, and Luhan visits Sehun the following weekend. “The Velvet shoot was crazy, they splashed paint on us while shooting and do you know how hard it is to keep your eyes open while being attacked with buckets of paint? Not to mention the risk of getting blind. And the paint they used isn’t even body paint. We were all freaking out because we can’t take it off afterwards, soap and water, alcohol, acetone, no nothing, so what did we do? We took a bath of thinner. Man, my skin will never be the same again.”

Sehun isn’t taking it seriously he already heard that the shoot was awesome, revolutionary even, and he was supposed to be part of it.

“At least now you can eat whatever the you want,” Jongin adds coming out from Sehun’s kitchen with whatever food he can find in there.

Sehun has always hated how Jongin can eat anything and still gain nothing.

“Wait where’s Luhan?” he asks because Luhan has the tendency to go through Sehun’s possessions without permission.

Jongin shrugs but just then Luhan emerges holding Sehun’s phone, “Who is this?” he asks of the screensaver.

Nothing but years of friendship and increased tolerance of Luhan, stopped Sehun from flinging the pillow cushion towards Luhan’s face.

“You haven’t seen that?”

It is Jongin who answered. “He had that photo on for months now but still wouldn’t say who it is.”

“What’s that?” Chanyeol asks. “Can I see?”

And as if the phone is his, Luhan throws it towards Chanyeol who almost didn’t catch it. Sehun yelps in protest, but is too lazy to get up from the couch and do more than curse at Chanyeol and Luhan.

Chanyeol coos at the photo and Luhan says, “Cute as right?”

Feeling like he should be the one saying such thing, Sehun gets up and snatches his phone away with an, “I’ll have my phone back thank you very much.”

“Seriously, why won’t you tell who that is?” Jongin pries.

“Because it’s none of your business duh.”

“No, you know what I think about it. You just snapped that photo secretly and you don’t even know the guy’s name.”

“His name is Kim Minseok for your information. He’s an engineering grad student, from a hella rich family, he lives in this building.”

“Sounds promising. And then?”

“And then nothing else.”

Sehun lies back down at the couch.

Luhan tsks and Sehun asks, “What’s that?”

“What’s what?”

“What are you tsking about?”

“You obviously are in a disadvantaged position. It’s either the guy is taken, or painfully straight, or have STD.”

“Minseok is none of that,” Sehun says indignantly although he’s not sure about that last part (he has to ask Minseok.)

“So what’s the problem?”

“He’s kind of a jerk.”

“Uhu.”

“No actually a huge jerk and a....cynic---but not really, he’s not a big fan of romance but he’s not closing his doors but what he wants is the real thing. he’s tired of all the ing around in college, he really has high expectations this time around and I don’t want to...” he doesn’t finished because he noticed the three got their heads together and whispering to each other.

He catches things like, “He’s totally in love no?”, “Yeah totally in love.”

“He also thinks modelling is a stupid job and that no one in a good enough mind will settle for being just a model.”

“What? WHAT?!” Jongin, Luhan and Chanyeol say together.

“Why the are you still with him?” Jongin asks

“Because I’m not....not yet. It’s not---It’s....he doesn’t like attraction based from looks, of course, but based from your—well, your everything. So obviously it would get some time.”

“Oh,” Luhan mutters.

“Oh what?” Chanyeol asks him. “I don’t get it.”

“He got friend zoned,” Jongin answers and he jerks his towards Sehun’s and Sehun tries not to be irked at being referred to in third person.

“I’m not in the friend zone, that’s different.”

“How different?” Luhan asks. “If you don’t have kissing privilege, that makes it pretty much the same thing. You don’t right?”

Sehun can’t answer and Jongin high-fives Luhan for the point proven.

“This is what you get for dating a model hater.”

“I have the worst friends ev...” Sehun trails off because he hears the front door opening and footsteps approaching and then Minseok is right there, right in front of them, holding a bag of grocery and looking like he very much belongs there that gets Sehun wanting to rub Minseok in his friends’ faces.

“You have people over,” Minseok says, looking only at Sehun, and Sehun feels oddly domestic.

“They’re no one. I’m kicking them out now.”

Luhan, or he thinks it’s Luhan, coughs a protests while Jongin mutters, “wow you.”

“Okay fine they are my friends...from work,” Sehun avoids saying model friends. “But they are weird and I don’t want you to witness that.”

“That’s fine. I can come back later. I’ll leave this in the kitchen,” Minseok says as he makes his way out of the living room.

Sehun can’t help the huge smile that breaks into his face.

“I’m not in the friend zone,” he reiterates.

“Tell that when you already ed him.”

Sehun gasps and hits Jongin’s face with a cushion to stop him from saying more and then he follows Minseok to the kitchen but Minseok is already making his way back.

“Don’t touch anything,” Minseok warns, gesturing to the paper bags in the kitchen.

“I won’t.”

When they pass through the living room, Luhan calls out an “It’s nice meeting you Minseok,” but Minseok just raises a hostile eyebrow at him.

Luhan huffs, offended.

Sehun offers his palm for a high-five and Minseok probably doesn’t get exactly what it’s for, but he raises his hand and high-fived Sehun still.

Sehun looks back to his friends and sticks his tongue out at them while he walks Minseok out the door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

“Guess who’ll be on the cover of Nylon?” Sehun asks as soon as the door opens, positively bursting in energy.

“Sehun it’s freaking one in the morning,” Minseok grumbles while wiping the sleep off his eyes. When he gets a good look at Sehun, he blinks a few times probably trying to decide if he’s dreaming. “Sehun, you’re sparkling,” he says in complete awe.

The model is covered in silver body glitters that he hasn’t managed to remove yet from their glitter glamour shoot because he went straight to Minseok to deliver the news. After doing low-profile shoots that are bordering on ridiculous ever since his brief hiatus, this is his biggest project.

“Hey focus,” he snaps his fingers in front of Minseok who jerks in attention as if he has just woken.

“Which one is Nylon?” Minseok asks.

“Colorful, quirky, preppy, kinda cute, focused on fashion and pop culture,“ Sehun says the words with fondness in every syllable. “It’s huge you know, my career isn’t dead yet, it seems.”

“Yeah? it isn’t so huge, I haven’t heard of it, have I?”

“You don’t count you know that.”

“Aw, I don’t?”

They just smile at each other and then Minseok rubs at his eyes some more and yawns. Sehun just watches the action.

“But you know what?” Minseok continues. “Nylon it sounds perfect for you, finally you, just you....”

Sehun’s excitement shrinks back into him as he absorbs Minseok’s soft words, excited breathing slowing down...

“I think it’s about time for the prince to be free.“

Sehun can’t help it anymore, ever since Minseok opened the door, he’s been stopping himself from sweeping Minseok off his feet and kissing him.

And it was Minseok being clueless as ever that snapped his resolve until he cups Minseok’s jaw, leans down and finally finally kissed him. A quick press of lips, quick enough that in no time, he’s pulling away, heart rate going a hundred miles for every empty seconds of silence as Minseok stares and Sehun swallows.

“I’m sorry.”

Minseok sighs and then, “It’s fine,” he breathes.

“It is?”

“I’m not so sure actually.”

“Oh.”

“So let’s try it again?”

 

They didn’t kiss for long because they found out that Minseok has allergic reaction to glitter.

-

 

 

 

 

 

Minseok doesn’t read magazine so he doesn’t know how to get his hand on the newest issue of Nylon and Sehun is pestering him over the phone because he wants to know Minseok’s reaction before he fly out from Incheon to Japan for a fashion show. The nearest convenience store doesn’t have it yet at this time in the morning.

“You’re not really looking.”

“Excuse me. What do you think I’m doing.”

“Walking leisurely! Drinking your coffee!”

Yes Minseok is doing just that but he’s trying. Kinda. He smiles at how Sehun guessed right.

“I’m boarding in ten minutes. Come on Minseok. Hey---Hello?”

“I found you,” Minseok says.

On the magazine rack, Sehun is looking back at him. With his free hand, he gingerly removes the issue out to examine the photo closely.

“Well?”

Minseok doesn’t know what to say.

“Yeah it-“

He doesn’t know what gets him - the eyes looking at him with a secretly, I just don’t care undertone or the shameless tongue peeking out the side of the mouth or the nose that slightly scrunch up in a mocking way or that messy bubblegum pink hair with a cap placed carelessly sideways, or the extreme close up to the face that captures Sehun’s freckles, also there are his long fingers playing with the chain of a silver necklace and one hand is seemingly midway to creating a crude gesture. Minseok loves it - all of it.

“Hey are you making out with my photo out there?”

“It looks like you Sehun. I mean there were no---filters. It’s so you, not just how it looks but also the attitude? It’s all you. It’s so you. I love it.”

There is no sound on the other end then after a couple of seconds, Sehun clears his throat. “Well I’m glad. When we shoot that, I was thinking about you.”

“This is what you look like when you think about me? Intriguing. I like the peeking tongue.”

“I bet you do.”

“Don’t you have a plane to catch?”

“Yeah yeah. I’ll see you when I get back?” He asks, quite hesitant and Minseok thinks it’s cute how Sehun tries to mask it.

“Sure.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, well---bye?”

“Bye handsome,” Minseok says gently, affectionately, then he hangs up afterwards, not permitting Sehun to react, or himself to react.

That definitely feels like a phone call between lovers. Is that what they are now?

-

 

 

 

 

 

Later that night, Sehun calls, sounding nervous but itching to tell something that gets Minseok asking, “Sehun? What did you do?” in a slightly accusing voice.

“What what nothing!”

Minseok rolls his eyes and he knows Sehun can probably feel it travelling on the wire.

“Okay---Okay—it’s just. Remember when you teased me about old women asking if my phone background is my boyfriend?”

“Uhu.”

Minseok already knows where this is going.

“It sorta happened today---not with an old woman though---with this--little boy sitting on the sink in the men’s bathroom waiting for his brother to finish peeing or something. Anyway I was fixing my hair and he was eyeing my phone placed on the sink and he looked at me and my reflection then back to the phone then to me again as if deciding if I’m the one in the photo or not—“

“Wait wait, I thought you already changed your screensaver?”

“I put you back on because,” Sehun clears his throat, “well, I miss you.”

“It’s only been a day Sehun.”

“I know I know. Anyway, don’t interrupt. Where was I? Yeah, after the boy decided I wasn’t the one in the photo, he pointed at it and asked me Who’s that? Your boyfriend? Because, he said, his sister also got a photo of her boyfriend in her phone so. Anyway, he looked positively delighted by the idea you know---so I said yes.”

“Okay? That’s it?”

“Yeah that’s---So is that okay?”

“What?”

“Calling you my boyfriend?”

“Well you know it’s really not in my control what you say or not say, you can tell other people I’m your brother, or a cousin, or your father, I don’t see why you can’t really. I mean—“

He hears Sehun groaning softly on the other end, if their together, Sehun will probably hit him like the disrespectful one that he is.

“What I mean is yes you can.”

Sehun gets silent then asks, with smile of mischief lining his voice, “Can what?”

“Call me boyfriend, whatever okay, don’t make me regret this,” he says impatiently.

“All right all right...”

“Listen I need to go, I’ll call you later.”

“Really?” Sehun asks excited because Minseok rarely calls first but catches himself, clears his throat and tries again, “Okay, talk to you later.”

“Later.”

“Bye boyfriend,” he breathes then immediately hangs up.

“Idiot,” Minseok mutters to his phone.

Now at least things are clear between them.

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

Minseok is a little exhausted, no very very exhausted when he finally gets to go home. But when he walked towards his car, it is to find a tall and handsome guy in a crispy beige Armani – Minseok is only guessing it’s Armani – suit and leaning in his car basking on all his elegant glory if only his hair isn’t flaming red and standing out in the parking lot like a stop warning sign.

“Excuse me handsome but that is my car.”

“Oh sorry,” Sehun plays along but doesn’t make to move. “But I was thinking maybe I could get a ride.”

“Okay but,” Minseok moves closer until they’re only a breath apart. Sehun’s perfectly polished dress shoes has shoe lift so he’s even more towering over Minseok who is looking up at him through his hair. “But we have to be careful, my boyfriend might see us and he’s quite crazy.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup, totally crazy weird kid.”

“You love him,” Sehun tries.

Minseok breaks out of character. “You ruined the moment,” he reprimands but covers the remaining space between them until they’re pressed against each other. They become silent just trying to get used to the idea of being together in more intimate ways and then Minseok is frowning. “This feels weird,” he says.

Sehun’s chest feels tighter in worry. It’s probably a bad idea to make them official over the phone, maybe Minseok isn’t so sure? But his worries dissolved when Minseok continues.

“It’s weird. You’re so freaking taller. Did you grow over the last week?”

Sehun chuckles and holds Minseok by the waist. “No I didn’t. You just shrunk Minseok.”

“I don’t remember tiptoeing this much just to kiss you.”

Minseok is standing on his toes, arms crossed around Sehun’s neck, eyes on Sehun but Sehun is already looking down at his lips.

“Maybe it’s because you don’t have much practice,” he says before kissing Minseok and he kisses him again and again and again until Minseok pulls away.

“My neck hurts,” Minseok complains.

Sehun moves his hands to massage on Minseok’s neck.

“Let’s take this to the bed? It’s comfier.”

 

 

 

 

-

Sehun likes being pressed into Minseok’s mattress but can’t help flipping their position and pinning Minseok down, hovering over him, drinking him in because the sun is just setting behind the huge- window, the thin white curtain doing nothing to block the sunrays that make Minseok glow - everything glows. Inside this bedroom, it’s autumn.

He is admiring the view but Minseok grips him by the hair and forces him down until they’re face to face again.

“Sehun, your hair is on fire,” Minseok says, eyes wide and Sehun can only imagine how his own hair catches the color of burning sunset.

“Yeah?” He sits up on Minseok’s lap, runs a hand up his hair releases it, then shakes his head to mess it up, then strikes a pose.

Minseok chuckles, “All right, come here fashion model.”

He’s pulled down for a kiss and with a swift turn, Sehun finds himself beneath Minseok again. They just kissed and kissed, all tongue and lips and hands running down everywhere they could reach. Minseok places a final quick firm kiss on Sehun’s mouth before pulling away; Sehun makes to follow his lips not realizing Minseok is tugging at his pants. Lifting his hips off the bed, he lets Minseok pull away with the remainder of his clothes.

Minseok runs his eyes down the length of Sehun’s body and Sehun with all that experience in posing for the cameras, finds himself self-conscious at being looked at by Minseok.

Minseok looks back up to his face and Sehun grabs the attention and stares him down, trying to cover-up his hesitations with the mask of y confidence he’s learned to gather at will – he breaths hard, almost hissing and lets his lips fall open in  silent . If he’s in a shoot, the photographer might be snapping away like mad right now.

But Minseok, Minseok is biting his lip, looking contemplative, looking at Sehun in his signature look of solving an insanely hard math problem.

“You’re so red,” Minseok observes, running fingers from Sehun’s abdomen to his chest, his neck, his lips, his cheeks. Sehun doesn’t have to look to confirm how hard he’s blushing, he can practically feel the heat all over him, on his chest, on his face. “As red as your hair. Are you---are you feeling—shy?”

“No,” Sehun denies immediately. “Just feeling really really hot. Come here.”

But Minseok stands out of his reach and starts undoing his own pants, with a dangerous lift on his lips. After pulling down his zipper he pauses with a pointed look at Sehun.

“What? Hurry up.”

“I thought you already know.”

“Know what?”

“You really look.....flawless...why are you being conscious?”

Sehun thought it’s impossible to get even redder but he’s sure it’s happening to him right now.

“Not now Minseok, I’m completely .”

“Exactly.”

He’s getting abused by Minseok’s eyes running up and down his body and he resists the urge to cover his junk.

“Now I know what the fuss is about,” Minseok says while nodding to himself.

“No fair Minseok, come here and get .”

Minseok doesn’t and Sehun has to practically jump on him and wrestle him out of his pants until Minseok is laughing and screaming !

Sehun is already sweating madly, also laughing, by the time he gets Minseok and pinned down on the bed and Minseok is squirming and going ew ew ew over all the sweat.

“God Minseok you really are a .”

“And you really are something else.”

“I am?”

“Yes you are a dork. A special kind of dork.”

Minseok is teasing but Sehun smiles, full-on smiles. He has never in his life been this happy for being called a dork.

“I love you,” the words are out of his mouth before he can help it and it surprised him as much as it surprised Minseok.

The expression on Minseok’s face turns solemn, “You ruined the moment,” he says.

“I---I--- did? I’m sorry.”

“We can pretend you didn’t say that and proceed with rough and casual or NOT pretend you didn’t say that and.....make love.”

“Uhhhhhhh...” he says intelligently and it goes on and on and on until Sehun is out of breath but still unable to think of an answer.

“Why not both?” he asks breathlessly, hopefully.

“Okay,” Minseok agrees simply before flipping their position.

---

Modelling not with the face, not with the pose, not with angles and structures, but modelling with personality. Choosing Oh Sehun for the August cover was a little bit of a risk according to Nylon Korea editor, Ji Bum. He’s one of the faces that you see everywhere but we never get to see what he’s really like. Nylon wanted to bring out his character because that’s what the readers requested, they wanted to know him better and quite frankly Nylon isn’t sure how to show him in the most up-close and genuine way. But on set, Sehun surprised us for arriving with his heart on his sleeves, soul in his eyes, and mischief on his smile. Our resident Photographer, Kerri just snapped away, giving no directions whatsoever. Needless to say, we’re very proud and excited about this issue. It’s limited to see this in the fashion world, models deglamourized, models being wacky and looking ridiculous. Well, Oh Sehun is ridiculously good-looking, but that’s not everything there is to him, find out more about Korea’s  Fashion Prince Oh Sehun in the August issue of Nylon Korea available now, nationwide.

---

 

“Ridiculously good-looking? Puhlease,” Minseok puts down the Ipad flashing the article that Sehun forced him to read, only to see Sehun’s smiling face looking up at him from their resting position at Minseok’s knee, against the white sheet, Sehun’s hair looks bleeding. “More like, just plain ridiculous.”

Minseok bends his knee up to bring Sehun at kissing range but he doesn’t kiss him and Sehun who's expecting it blinks at him. Minseok just examines Sehun’s morning eyes, his red hair sticking out in every direction, his lips that are extra pouty at this time of day or maybe because of all the kissing last night.

“Your hair is bleeding,” he tells Sehun while running his fingers on the strands.

“You’re much more beautiful in the morning,” Sehun mutters.

The hold on Sehun’s hair tightens, “Don’t do that. You know I hate that.”

“Hate what?”

Minseok ignores the feigned ignorance and resumes his threading on the red locks. “This is my favourite so far, next to the icy blue.”

“I like the bubblegum best.”

“Of course you do.”

Minseok looks down, because under the sheets, Sehun’s hand is getting sneaky. With a dark look from Minseok, Sehun stops his hand but there still the smile on his lips.

“I noticed last night, you take compliments well. You take them well when you’re being--”

“That doesn’t count,” Minseok says but he’s biting his lips to stop an embarrassed smile and he suddenly climbs out of bed leaving Sehun to land back on the mattress.

“Breakfast,” Minseok says clapping his hands.

“Why are you looking at me expectantly?” Sehun asks while rolling off the bed.

“You forgot our rule? Your apartment, your cooking.”

“You’ve been cooking for me the past weeks.”

“Only because you’re depressed over your falling career but you’re back up now. So come on. Cook.”

Sehun looks at Minseok first, to make sure Minseok is being serious, and then he walks out of the room defeated and muttering something that sounds like “.” But when he’s in the living room, he whoops and screams, “I’m ordering pizza!!!”

“What a dork,” Minseok whispers with a smile while he follows Sehun out of the bedroom.

 

 

 

 

-

 

Jongin, Luhan, Chanyeol, Jongdae and Junmyeon are at the door, carrying food and drinks. They already celebrated Sehun’s successful cover back in Japan but Luhan and Jongdae weren’t there so they are here for round two. Jongin knocks again, this time with more intent.

The door swings open swiftly, Jongin is almost not fast enough to not let his knuckles land on Sehun’s---or not Sehun’s face but----

“Oh the model hater,” Luhan greets.

The model hater, Minseok squints at Luhan but doesn’t say anything. Jongin is sure he’s wearing Sehun’s shirt and the redness right under his jaw and down down are unmistakably hickeys.

Luhan spots them too and he exchanges knowing looks with Jongin.

“Is it the pizza?”Comes Sehun’s voice and then Sehun himself who immediately attaches his arms around Minseok’s waist.

“Oh,” he says in surprise at the sight on the other side of the door. He recovers immediately and his face splits into a wide grin and he tightens his hold on Minseok. Jongin wants to go home already.

“Come in guys,” he says, triumph in his voice.

Clueless Jongdae and Junmyeon steps in while Chanyeol, Jongin and Luhan hang back.

They hear Sehun’s voice, loud and clear, “Jongdae hyung, Junmyeon hyung. This is my boyfriend Minseok.”