“Hyung, you better be kidding me”

“I’m sorry Tae, I swear I was about to put it in the bag but then the phone rang and you know you already left and I was afraid it was Kibum calling and I don’t want to be yelled at for answering late again and—-“

“Well its just right that you answered me hyung, how am I supposed to know that your awesome baby here misheard call time and was running late! Good thing the other team was very cool about a delay”

“Well now there will be surely some delay because you know I can’t work without the lens pen”

“Oh please its not that important—“

“In this location it is! Look at how dusty and windy this place is!”

I can see his brows are starting to meet and that is not a good sign. Taemin is usually a very sweet kid. Very caring, adorable, dorky and just generally easy-going. He wouldn’t mind being teased well maybe because he loves to prank as well (a little devil if you ask me)

But when it comes to work, Taemin turns into a strict and serious person (that even Kibum, the King of all the Sass, becomes a timid follower). He totally flips 180 degrees, you would probably have a hard time thinking he is the same person who would hide the remote in the fridge after setting the tv in mute unless you see it personally. You wouldn’t want to make a happy go lucky person get mad after all. And nobody wants to see Taemin get mad, especially if its because of work. Kibum and I have only seen it once, and I honestly don’t want to see it for a second time. He’s already scary when he is having fun playing around, but an evil Taemin because he is pissed about work? No thank you! I still have nightmares about that one time.

“Okay. Okay. I’ll just leave now and get it for you. Your lens pen will be here before you can even say ‘cheese’ I swear!”

“Just go hyung, no need for the puns! What I need is my assistant so you better be here before we get busy or else I will honestly forbid any form of chicken in the apartment for a month” he sighs as he tosses the car keys to me but I saw a ghost of smile in his lips.

This isn’t a hopeless case yet, I can still prevent evil Taemin from emerging. I just need to be back quickly before the set is finished.

That was an hour and a half ago.
An hour and a half.

I must have called all the gods and divinities from all religions across all regions at least twice while running back to the photoshoot’s location after getting stuck in traffic to grant my wish that I am not that late for the sake of the photoshoot and my chicken. Mostly the photoshoot, not much of my chicken (that’s what I’m telling myself while running back to the field)

I hate this. I have been working with Taemin and Kibum for years now yet I can’t seem to improve just like them. We all started in this line of work struggling to get projects. Barely having enough to get all of us food in our fridge and pay for our apartment. Starting with nothing but Taemin and his eye for beauty, Kibum with his eye for accessories that goes with the beauty that Tae sees and turns into beautiful art. And then there’s me. The supposed-to be leader, but really all I do is take charge of what happens behind the art and focus on the numbers and business side of things (boring stuff as Kibum calls it). I try to help out more really! During shoots, I usually become their assistant. Helping both of them to makes things more efficient. Well that was the usual game plan.

But most of the time I think I mess things up more than make things easier, like today. I just hope I didn’t mess up THAT much and we can finish this like a breeze.

And yet I now face a pandemonium in a middle of a usually quiet hay field. From all the staff frantic to get the set done, to the models trying out outrageous outfits after outfits, to shouts from those in charge for everyone to move faster. Lucky me.

“Hyung over here!”

Amidst all the chaos, I was able to spot a familiar face waving his hands while holding some flashy jacket like a makeshift flag.

“Kibum I’m so sorry! Traffic was hell and—“ doing my best to avoid colliding with anyone who might have an important task to do I approached Kibum along the racks of clothes who looks just as busy (though relatively more organized than the rest of the place, talk about his OCD tendencies).

“No worries hyung, we barely started. The other team also had some delay so your is safe from your little baby” He just whisked his hands dismissively at me and then handed me some water just so I could catch my breathe.

I looked around and did see that everything was just in the early stage. Taemin was in the middle of giving instructions to the model (I assume he was talking to the model because I can’t actually see his face because he was facing Taemin but his built just screams model and besides the dude next to him looks a lot tame and simple looking to be one) while everyone was busy doing some final touches on the set.

While still talking to the model, Taemin spotted me and gestured me to come.

Finally feeling that heavy nervousness lift from my chest because Taemin looks okay, I broke into a relieved smile and approached him. Okay dilemma for today solved. Now I just need to keep my focus because nothing pisses off Taemin more than someone who can’t focus while working. No biggie. I’m good at focusing while working. I have been practicing that since I started doing part time when I was 15. I got this.

Just then the model he was talking to finally turned just as Taemin gestured towards me.

Oh man.

No way.

Not now.

It could have been any other day. Not today when we are having one of the biggest projects of our career.

I think I am in trouble.

There is no way in hell I can focus with that face being anywhere near me.

Taemin is so gonna end up pissed off.