“Wow. Looking good, Romeo!”

Jinki scoffed to his own reflection, pitying himself for still caught in such scene whereas he fixed his hair for the twelfth times by his brother. Never in his life he’s this frustrated trying to impress someone, not even when he did some competition presentation in front of pairs of scary judging eyes.

He used up his energy to tame his wild bangs to the side, smoothen it with his palm, only to mess it again after only three seconds. Arms getting ached more and more, he decided to toss his hair back as far as can be and prayed silently there would no wind crazy enough between the parking lot at the university and the venue ready to screw his hair, which for this evening worth as much as his life.

“You sure you’re taking a tie?”

Taemin walked nonchalantly from the door to his mattress, sitting casually on top of it, one leg folded, acted as if he did nothing which in contrary stopped Jinki’s hand middle air before he’s able to touch the lifeless tie hanging on the arm rest of the chair, followed by him shooting deadly glare to the play innocent boy.

“What exactly did you attempt to say?”

He shrugged, “Nothing. Just thinking it’s not the kind of night you’re going to propose someone, so I don’t think you should wear some preposterous tie. Though in my opinion, tie is supposed to be banned from such important event because that is only going to choke your already tensed respiratory system.”

“Taem. Did you or did you not, eat Eve’s food again?” Jinki glanced once more to the side, contemplating should he just take the tie as his initial plan or actually high enough to listen to his brother’s recommendation, “I should tell Mom to keep her under the radar whenever she had meal before you nibbled her share.”

“Lee Jinki, tell me how much anxious you are that two cans of beer got you this drunk easily?”

Taemin pointed his chin to Jinki’s desk where the evidence still hasn’t been burnt down. A frown appeared inevitably and he slapped both sided of his face before turned helplessly to Taemin’s direction.

“Mountain high you need extra oxygen tank for your own safety,” he gulped the remaining liquid from one of the can, “I would rather do final presentation every day in a week, three months straight.”

Taemin almost sled down the edge of the bedding for laughing a little bit too hard. He’s able to control himself after his brother throw pocket dictionary to his head.

“If this is your way saying thank you to the person who would help you, then I cancel the list of advice I’m about to break down to you.”

“Please.”

The desperate looks of bunny drawn on Jinki’s face makes him scoffs.

“Tsk, people are too weak whenever they’re in love,” he raised his hand before Jinki could spill his objection, “Uh, oh! Do not even try. I’ve seen you and I’ve seen a lot.  No time for argument. Now, throw that ugly tie and change your blue suit to the black one. The black one you got from Aunt Sunny for your twenty fifth birthday. You wore the blue suit that much.”

“I spent one hour to convince myself about my outfit and another one to put it together and now you tell me to peel it off?”

“Go big or go home, Mr. Lee. Listen to every single word I said or not at all.”

“You’re aware that I’m actually older than you right?”

“Doesn’t change the fact that obviously, you dress worse than me.”

“That’s only because you date Junghee these past months, she basically bought you the whole wardrobe.”

Taemin turned red until the tip of his ears and Jinki smells victory approaching his way.

“We’re not dating. How many times I should tell you that?”

“Uh, oh! Do not even try. I’ve seen you and I’ve seen a lot. No time for argument,” Taemin’s dropped his best scandalous look which relaxed Jinki for mere second before he flails again like a little duckling, “Okay, no time to fight. What should I do then? I’m running out of time!”

“You still got two hours, don’t be such a .”

“Cut it off,” Jinki shifted to his wardrobe and digging for a while before he can retrieve the said suit, “Should I change in front of you or should I kick your out of my room?”

“Who said I’m finished?”

“There’s more?!”

The younger man wanted to eat his own fist seeing his brother acting like a teenager who just hit puberty. He dressed okay, sometimes even flawless. He doesn’t have a magnificent style but he has a very good aesthetic sense to put his clothes together.  Taemin has no idea at all how Jinki can be desperate.

“Change your shirt with that fancy white t-shirt Gwiboon got for you which made you ranting for hours because it costs almost like the first installment for new apartment.”

“First, that was really ridiculously expensive I could buy new pair of Italian leather shoes for that price. Second, t-shirt? In this kind of important event? Seriously?”

“First, wearing something you got from the person you’re about to meet will definitely impress them. Second, this semi casual look will definitely impress bunch of fashion freak there. Do you want me to stop here or continue until twenty?”

Jinki tighten his fist on his side, “You should be glad that we’re blood related.”

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that one.”

“So what else, Mr. Fashion Guru? Should I also put make up?”

“Young Padawan, making fun of your master is never suggested in any institution. Tuck your t-shirt in, don’t wear any belt, wear your Old Skool Vans, take your wallet, keys, and phone before go out. On the way, grab some bouquet and you’re ready for the battle field.”

Jinki checked his phone and came to the conclusion he doesn’t have extra second to counter attack whatever Taemin just preached.

“Sir, yes, Sir. Now can I change my clothes?”

“Not even thank you. I have a brother for nothing. What a peasant.”

Now, Jinki literally kicks Taemin to get out his room. Once his back disappeared behind the door, Jinki freed himself from the outfit he had on in a flash. After putting on the jacket suit, he’s actually grateful he listened to every single thing Taemin’s said. One flick on his hair and the look is complete. He even praised silently how perfect Taemin’s choice for what kind of shoes he should wear.

“Keys, here. Wallet, got it. Phone? Where the heck is that ing phone?” he paced quickly to the side of his desk, “Aha. Hmm?”

There’s an email notification appeared on the locked screen. Jinki would definitely ignore it if it wasn’t followed by a reminder on his calendar which he doesn’t recall any slightly he put it for today. Expecting it would be just regular email of promotion or updates from his South America’s voluntary mission, he opened it in a rush while trying to reach his door knob.

Before he even passed the threshold, however, the name written on the email’s sender froze him right away. Jinki read the email carefully, two times. Three times. Four times.

“Lee Taemin, I need your favor!!!”

***

“Excuse me! She needs touch up on the hair!” a girl rushed to her side with brush in right hand and hairspray in the other, “Pull some strains from her ponytail, don’t make it too neat. So unnatural.”

The girl nods and does as she told. Gwiboon snatched her jacket suit she took off earlier and put it on. She stopped on the stand mirror and double checked her look today, for the nth time. The anxiety on her eyes is evident. Suddenly she felt lonely in the crowd of people ransacking the backstage.

“Gwiboon, we need you over there. One of the models cannot stand the shoes.”

A light tap on her shoulder bring her back to the reality. Despite the chunky heels attached on her feet, she sprinted to the pointed corner, almost knocking two juniors walking sided by side carrying concrete mannequin.

“I’m so sorry, Gwiboon. But I don’t think I would be able to walk more than five steps with these.”

The model pushed the stiletto to her chest. She’s one millimeter to snapping but when she caught blisters on her feet, she knew she cannot push her further. Far for what people around her would expect some dictator manner from her, Gwiboon is more considerate than everyone in her year when it comes to people who work for her.

A minute passed with Gwiboon assessing her model’s set of outfit. At the end, she grabbed the sheer golden tile around her hips and pulled it up on one side, making a random flower bun from it within ten second.

This will do without stiletto now.

“What’s your size?”

“Eh?”

She rolled her eyes started to get impatient but excited at the same time, “The shoes. What’s your size?”

“I’m seven.”

Gwiboon stepped down from her heels, making the girl in front of her is dumbfounded by the action.

“These are seven. Put it on and give me a walk.”

The said model listened to the instruction well and twirled twice while practicing the walk.

“You need the gel insole to keep your balance. I’ll find one. Try to be comfortable with those first.”

She put the suede stiletto on her own feet and shifted to her vanity, leaving the junior helping on the scene in awe. Sure, Kim Gwiboon. Nothing can put her down. Not an unpredictable accident like this.

“Forty minutes and we roll!”

The stage manager popped from the further right, brought everyone in panic. Gwiboon’s heart almost ran away her ribcage listen to the cue. Groggily she turned to her assistant, a girl from second year who voluntarily helping her to arrange everything despite her reputation on their department. Once she saw her eyes, the junior smiles and flees to the group of model and yelled to them to start line up for the last touch up. She felt grateful towards the understanding gesture.

Gwiboon dragged the two gondolas full of the clothes for today’s exhibition closer to her, checked once again, and rearrange the sequence for faster distribution later.

It’s not her first fashion week. But the tension is not lessened.

She moved to the corner and started her ritual. One, two, three, she started counting in silent, just like what her grandmother used to tell her. Eyes completely shut, she’s evening every single breathe she takes.

“You did well, Kim Gwiboon. Everything’s happened for a reason. You’re worth it. Let it rain. Let it passed.”

Gwiboon repeats her grandmother’s words, the only source of strength she has during her adolescence years when everyone left her alone. Slowly, she opened her eyes, the memory of her grandmother’s smile enveloped her heart.

“Someone wants to see you.”

She expected Minho’s annoyed face showed up before her when her assistant disturb her trance. But the man standing awkwardly uncomfortable among the tall models is more than surprised for Gwiboon.

“How.. what..”

“Minho let me in,” hearing the words, she still unmoved from where she stand, “I only have five minutes.”

“Tell them you are family member, they will lead you to your seat.”

She mumbled ‘everyone knows you anyway’ carefully for herself.

“I know. Minho said the exact thing two minutes ago.”

Rather than against the idea of her ex-boyfriend getting ahead of her, she just nods hastily, “Oh. Alright th