“Unnie, you’re so beautiful.”

 

For what must’ve been the thousandth time, Joohyun turns her head just in time to take in the familiar sight of Seulgi clutching her film camera in her hands.

 

There’s the soft mechanical click of the shutter button being released, a sound that would’ve gone unnoticed by her if she hadn’t been listening for it. A second later comes the cranking of the film to the next empty slot.

 

Once she’d realized what had happened, the model gives a start, flashing the photographer a surprised look. Joohyun had been in the midst of getting ready for another photoshoot, peering into a stretch of mirror with a set of diamond encrusted earrings hovering next to her face, when Seulgi had snapped a photo.

 

“You always manage to catch me off guard,” the budding model tuts, eyeing the photographer with a feigned look of displeasure. The photographer seemed to have a knack for chancing upon her when she was alone. Moments earlier, her makeup artist had gone off to tend to the other models participating in the same shoot.

 

“I wasn’t ready,” Joohyun adds with a huff. Seulgi hums and settles into the chair beside Joohyun, studying her subject with a small smile. “You know, I’ve always found it easier to photograph someone if they aren’t looking,” the photographer muses.

 

Seulgi’s eyes begin to shimmer in the light as they look through her, and Joohyun isn’t sure if it’s just the dressing room lights playing tricks on her or not. Seulgi’s eyes have always looked as though stars danced inside them, swirling deep within her pitch black pupils.

 

“I think there’s something extremely intimate in the act of photographing someone when they aren’t aware,” Seulgi continues, fiddling with a few of the knobs on the camera’s exterior. Her voice is soft and melodic, as if she’s singing instead of speaking – something Joohyun finds utterly fascinating about the other woman.

 

“It’s like you can see a part of who that person truly is, rather than who they’re attempting to be.” Joohyun watches Seulgi gingerly set her camera down on the cluttered counter in front of them, as if the tiniest jarring movement would shatter the device into pieces.

 

“You’ve already got the whole modeling industry figured out, I assume,” Joohyun replies, lightly giggling. She pretends to fix her lipstick, knowing she has every fiber of Seulgi’s attention trained on her. “We’re all a bunch of phonies.”

 

She picks up the other earring, and is in the midst of clasping it on her right ear, when Seulgi pipes up once more. “Actually,” the photographer retorts, chuckling to herself, “You’re different from all the rest of the models I’ve shot before.” Joohyun’s fair cheeks burn with a fiery red at Seulgi’s bold statement.

 

Suddenly, the model feels as though she were , exposed in front of the other woman for her to see. She wants to ask the photographer the question pressing against her tongue. Is that why you take photos of me even when we’re off site? They share a knowing look of understanding between them, silently regarding each other with their mutual respect.

 

She and Seulgi were working more and more frequently with each other in the past year or so, now that both of their careers were taking off. The pair were often considered as rising “it” girl, Bae Joohyun, and one of the most celebrated fashion photographers in the industry, Kang Seulgi.

 

Their paths were destined to cross in one way or another.

 

“Perhaps you’ll teach me this art of yours some time,” Joohyun murmurs, running a finger over the supple leather grip of the camera. She recognized the equipment immediately as Seulgi’s prized possession. This was the photographer’s favorite camera out of all those housed within her extensive arsenal.

 

The Mamiya 7.

 

Coupled with a 65mm lens.

 

37720550.00 ₩, give or take.

 

The body of the camera was cloaked in the photographer’s favorite color: black.

 

Even the way Joohyun knows these facts about Seulgi was telling of their shared bond. The model’s never been one to claim favorites among the multiple artists that she’s had the honor of working with for campaigns or runways during interviews.

 

If Joohyun had to say, however, there wouldn’t be any doubt in her mind as to who she would choose. Kang Seulgi was by far the most interesting person she’d ever had the pleasure of collaborating with.

 

In her line of work, it had become easy to see who had the magic touch and who didn’t when it came to photographing. After a year of nonstop promotions, Joohyun could tell who had talent overflowing from their fingertips, and who’s had just run out.

 

 Seulgi’s sharp eyes follow the way the model’s nail trace along the material of the camera grip for a split second before meeting the other woman’s steady gaze. “If I teach you how to shoot, will you teach me how to pose?”

 

“Is this your way of asking to see me outside of work?” Joohyun remarks, bemused at the photographer’s blushing cheeks. The pair hold their electrically charged eye contact for a few moments, each unsure of what to say next.

 

Seulgi opens to reply when someone raps their knuckles on the dressing room door.

 

“Miss Bae,” a woman’s voice rings out, “We’re ready for you.”

 

Seulgi smiles leisurely at the model, exhaling in relief. “Well, I guess that’s our cue, isn’t it?” The photographer straightens from her chair, then outstretches her hand towards Joohyun, a custom between the two of them.

 

Joohyun takes it, allowing their fingers to mingle together before Seulgi presses a chaste kiss to the skin of her wrist. “I guess it is,” Joohyun answers shakily, suddenly breathless at the contact.

 

She smooths the fabric of the sleek outfit she’s wearing and stands, willing her heart to stop skipping when she spots Seulgi’s silent approval. “Let’s give the world a show, shall we?” Seulgi murmurs, holding the door open for her.

 

 “Just like we always do.”

 

The pair step out of the safety of the dressing room into the bustling studio, and Joohyun senses the way everyone seems magnetically drawn to them. She feels the lull in motion, the rising of excitement, the silence of their awe as lighting rigs are wheeled about and coffees are hastily shoved into waiting hands.

 

The bustle of a photoshoot has never failed to both excite and terrify Joohyun, perhaps that’s part of the reason why there’s an unusual thrumming within her rib cage. Anticipation shone in each and every one of the worker’s eyes.

 

Even the other models, who had been chatting amongst themselves by the refreshments, had ceased talking to gape at the sight of her and Seulgi. It seemed everyone wanted to watch them, Korea’s best, in action.

 

The chemistry between her and Seulgi was undeniable. That was fact. From the moment of their first meeting, Joohyun came to understand there was something about Kang Seulgi that made the other woman stand out from all the other professionals she’d worked with.

 

Joohyun recalls the memory with severe clarity, as if the encounter had been tattooed onto her thoughts forever. At first, she’d mistaken Seulgi for a model she’d be working with when they’d introduced themselves to each other. They’d been standing in line for the freshly brewed pot of coffee situated on one of the refreshment tables set up for staff workers.

 

The gig was Joohyun’s third of the day, and she was nearly half asleep by the time she’d padded over to the beverage station. With her hair and makeup freshly done, Joohyun had homed in on the lingering aroma of ground coffee beans wafting through the air. She weaved in and out of the people crowded inside the tiny studio, clad only in her bathrobe.

 

Snatching up an unused Styrofoam cup, Joohyun lined up behind the person currently commandeering the coffee machine, rubbing the tiredness in her eyes away. Which event was this again? She’d forgotten during the cab ride over, despite her manager having repeated the name for her five times.

 

There had been hours of H&M and Tommy Hilfiger, but after that, Joohyun’s mind began to grow foggy. She’s surprised she’s even able to stand at this point. “Want some?” A smooth voice piped up, breaking Joohyun from her hazy thoughts. The woman standing in front of her had turned, allowing the model to take in her striking features.

 

A word echoes inside of Joohyun’s head as she gets lost in the depths of the woman’s deep, pooling eyes. Artful. The woman’s lips were inviting, striking hues of pastel pink and red, garnering Joohyun’s attention first. The model let her eyes wander over the high cheekbones, the immaculate complexion, the effortless height and styling of the woman before her.

 

It wasn’t like Joohyun to be envious of other’s beauty, but the sight of this woman gave Joohyun a twinge of spite within the pit of her stomach. Perhaps her dreams of becoming the new fashion icon of South Korea wouldn’t be as easy as she’d thought, not with such a woman ready to step into the spotlight.

 

Truthfully, behind the mask and persona she often wore during photoshoots and campaigns, Joohyun was rather insecure about herself. She gave the people what they wanted from her: Attitude. Poise. Character. But at the end of the day, Joohyun still questioned whether she would ever be enough.

 

With such a large audience following her, criticizing her, studying her, it was hard to remember one important fact: the only opinion that should matter was her own. Joohyun struggled with the practice of self-love. Whenever she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she constantly second guessed herself. Her nose was too flat, her eyes were too small, her lips not luscious enough.

 

Hidden deep within her was this heavy secret, which she shared with no one else and bore alone. She could tell no one. How would people react if they heard the next top model second guessed herself constantly?

 

In stark contrast, the woman offering Joohyun the coffee pot was clearly comfortable in her own skin. Then again, how could she not be? The stranger’s gaze was hypnotizing, her aura commanding. This was someone who knew who they were and embraced themselves wholeheartedly.

 

“Yes, please,” Joohyun requests once she’s finished observing, her words coupled with a curt nod towards the coffee pot the other woman is holding. The stranger reaches for Joohyun’s cup, their fingers brushing together with the spark of something beginning to kindle within them.

 

“How do you take it?” The woman asks lightly, still clutching Joohyun’s coffee. She’s pointing at the tiny creamer cups and brown sugar dispenser set by the beverage machine with a small smile. “Two creams, two sugars,” Joohyun replies with a smile of her own, a genuine one she doesn’t typically share.

 

She watches, slightly awed, as the woman tilts the brown sugar container into the cup, then stirs in creamer. “There you are, Joohyun-ssi,” the stranger bows to her, holding the cup out to Joohyun. She shouldn’t be surprised that this woman knows her name, after all, she had been gaining more and more attention from the press, but that doesn’t stop her right eyebrow from flicking up.

 

“Thank you,” the model replies, bowing slightly, “Have you been with SM’s modeling agency for very long?” Joohyun takes a sip of the reviving liquid before she continues, “You must be new…I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of seeing your face before.”

 

Joohyun finds herself smirking as she witnessed the light dusting of pink settling over the other woman’s cheeks. She takes another sip of her coffee and leans against the table, blinking up at the other woman with her doe eyes. “Though I’m flattered, I’m not a model,” the stranger replies softly before sticking out her hand for Joohyun to shake.

 

“Kang Seulgi. I’m your photographer for the day.”

 

Since her and Seulgi’s first encounter, Joohyun had grown. She’d flowered and blossomed, maturing quickly. Joohyun no longer averted her eyes from her reflection, no longer harshly criticized herself when she was alone. The model has no doubt that Seulgi is the one who had paved the way for this new awakening.

 

After all, the photographer had been the first one to make the practically overused phrase of “You’re beautiful” mean something to Joohyun. She’d always brushed those words off as something people were obligated to say, with their tones rising in disbelief, almost as if they were questioning it at the same time.

 

When Seulgi told Joohyun she was beautiful, there was a solidity about the sentence, a truth. The photographer used the phrase only when she meant it. It causes Joohyun to muse over why Seulgi calls her beautiful when she isn’t doing anything at all.

 

 

**

 

Joohyun hadn’t been posing when she was makeup less and chowing down at the restaurant Seulgi took her to after their fifth time working together. She has thick rice noodles hanging out of while she simultaneously stuffs her face with rice.

 

The model was exhausted and half-starved from a long day of promotions, scarfing down the delicious food greedily. But Seulgi had uttered those words as if they’d been fact, then snapped a picture when Joohyun’s guard lowered five minutes later.

 

“You’re beautiful,” Seulgi had mumbled, chewing thoughtfully on her food as she looked at Joohyun. The model froze for a moment, observing the nonchalance in Seulgi’s demeanor with a growing grin. “You’re just saying that,” she chides, lowering her head so Seulgi couldn’t see the doubt filling her eyes.

 

Seulgi snorts, “You know me well enough to know I’m not.” Joohyun knew the photographer was right. After spending so much time together, on site and off site, at work and not at work, the pair were becoming increasingly close.

 

She’s pushing more of the noodles into when she hears the soft click of the camera. “Yah!” Joohyun yelped, reaching across their table to smack Seulgi lightly on the shoulder. The other woman merely giggled, shrugging off her attacker with a sly smile.

 

“Kang Seulgi, you better not blackmail me with that!”

 

**

 

Joohyun isn’t acting when she’s lost in the fictional universe of the book she’s currently reading. Curled up in her dressing room, waiting for her hair and makeup artists to walk in, Joohyun immerses herself in fantasy.

 

“Hi, unnie,” Seulgi calls, closing the door behind her. Ever since their first meeting, it had become a routine of Seulgi’s to check in on Joohyun before a shoot. Not that Joohyun minded, of course. She always welcomed the photographer’s presence, even if the other woman was distracting her from finishing her book.

 

 “Hey, photographer extraordinaire,” the model greeted, flipping the page of the novel. Her sight never strays from the strings of words stamped across the parchment, even as Seulgi’s footsteps approach her. “I made you some coffee.” In Joohyun’s peripheral, a white ceramic mug appears, settling on the counter beside her.

 

Appreciatively, Joohyun grasps the handle and takes a swig of the piping hot beverage. “Thank you, Seulgi-ah.” She holds her coffee in her right hand, and the book balanced in her left as Seulgi settles into the chair next to hers.

 

A full two minutes pass of the pair merely sipping their coffees quietly before the photographer speaks up. “What are you reading?” The book is written in English, causing Seulgi to lean over in her chair and squint at the incoherent characters.

 

The model closes the book slowly and sets it on her lap. She lifts her mug to her lips, eyes pouring into Seulgi’s, “A love story.” A flicker comes across Seulgi’s anticipating face, a hint of something Joohyun could’ve easily missed, had she not been well rehearsed in the manner of how a person looks at someone or something.

 

The act of looking was a vital element of Joohyun’s work, conjuring up enough feeling to her eyes in order to capture people’s attention. She was fluent in the way people looked at her, with their wanting, their curiosity, or their envy.

 

The model could tell a person’s intentions merely by watching at them. She’d sent away countless suitors, fellow coworkers who’d taken a liking to her. Joohyun could tell they were only attracted to her for her fame, for her looks, not her substance or soul.

 

Seulgi seemed to see through all of Joohyun, as if the model were the viewfinder of her camera, the photographer saw all and knew all. Joohyun was sure she’d never seen love in someone’s eyes before, but she swore the emotion was shimmering within Seulgi’s.

 

Joohyun’s stare shifts towards the ceiling, suddenly unsure of if she was right in her presumptions. After all, was Seulgi even into women? Absentmindedly, she’d flipped open the book and began reading once more.

 

The model waits for it, for Seulgi to say the magic words again. She doesn’t have to wait for long. “Do you know how beautiful you are?” Joohyun merely grunts in response, eyes glued to the pages of her novel.

 

She doesn’t look up or protest when she hears the click of Seulgi’s camera a few seconds later, but they both know Joohyun’s smiling to herself.

 

**

 

She isn’t Joohyun when she’s staring wistfully out the plane window on the way to New York Fashion Week. Rather, she’s just another young woman, curled up in her seat in first class, jamming out to music and finishing the book she’d been reading a few weeks prior.

 

Interestingly enough, as the model looked out the window next to her, her thoughts turned to the one and only Kang Seulgi. It’d been a while since Joohyun had seen the talented artist. Their schedules had begun conflicting a few months prior, as more and more job offers were extended to each of them in different directions.

 

Joohyun had heard that Seulgi had been spending a lot of her time in Milan for Fashion Week, having been assigned to document the event alongside numerous other talented photographers. Joohyun’s own schedule had been too full to join the rest of her company on the runway, but was promised she’d open for New York Fashion Week instead.

 

She glances down at her phone when it buzzes in her lap, wishing futilely that it was Seulgi who’d texted her. Joohyun wonders why she’d never asked for the photographer’s number in the first place. Perhaps because it would’ve been seen as unprofessional to her peers, or because she’d been too shy to do so herself.

 

Sighing, Joohyun leans back against her seat and closes her eyes, taking a light nap as the rest of the passengers boarded.

 

Just before takeoff, a hand reached out from across the aisle and tapped the model’s shoulder lightly. Joohyun pulled one of her earbuds out as she turned her head, expecting one of the flight attendants to be standing next to her seat.

 

Instead, she’s greeted by the sight of Kang Seulgi waving furiously at her from her seat, beaming. “Fancy meeting you here,” the photographer murmurs, leaning across the way as much as her seatbelt will allow, “I can’t wait to see you on the runway.”

 

 The duo are on their way to New York Fashion Week, and fate somehow destined them to be sharing the same plane aisle. “Are you part of the paparazzi entourage?” Joohyun queries, setting her book down and giving the photographer her full attention. Seulgi shakes her head, “Not this time around, they’re giving me a break after working on Milan.”

 

Joohyun nods, “You deserve it, Seulgi-yah. I know how busy you’ve been lately.” Seulgi laughs, throwing her head back against the headrest of her seat, “You’re one to talk, aren’t you? I haven’t heard news of you getting a break in the past year, unnie.” Joohyun smiles sheepishly at the other woman.

 

Time was such a transient thing for the model. She had become accustomed to running from place to place, attending back to back events, hardly ever getting time for herself. However, because of her drive and passion for her work, Joohyun had finally obtained the title of “the nation’s face” as one of the many news outlets had dubbed her.

 

Joohyun felt the weight of it all on her shoulders, the tiredness in her bones had began to ache. “Maybe it is time for a break,” Joohyun murmurs to herself thoughtfully, making a mental note to talk to her manager as soon as she landed in New York.

 

They’re in the air now, soaring high above the wall of clouds separating them from the view below. It’s peaceful in a way Joohyun hasn’t felt in a long time, with the quiet chattering amongst the other first-class fliers and the whirring of the airplane’s air conditioning system. No one’s asking for her autograph, in fact no one’s even giving her more than a mere passing glance.

 

Other than Seulgi of course. The photographer’s full, undivided attention is focused on her, and Joohyun would be lying if she said it didn’t please her. A fourteen hour flight would be ample time to catch up with the other woman since the last time they’d seen each other.

 

 “You’re on break then?” Joohyun asks, once the flight a