The weather was still nice, the summer breeze brushing his face as he was making his way towards his classroom. It was just warm enough to keep the students content, yet not hot enough for them to wish they were anywhere but in the academy building. Despite the weather, Baekhyun still felt like dying, his legs hurting with every step he took and his lungs screaming at him to get some oxygen. He blamed Jongdae. Of course, it was his roommate’s fault — Jongdae had lost his best friend status this very morning, Baekhyun decided. After all, he was the one pulling him out of their shared flat the night before, saying they’d have fun and they should enjoy their free nights when they still could or else they’d regret it when all their assignments would keep them from living. Baekhyun wanted to say no, but Jongdae never really cared about his opinion on the party matters. In the end, Baekhyun would always have fun and enjoy their night out — not that he’d admit it but still. Anyway, there he was, running through campus like a madman, his brushes thrown in his backpack with zero care together with his watercolor paint and a palette, which moved with every step he took in an annoying rattle. In the back of his mind, Baekhyun wished it wouldn’t break — that would be inconvenient, it was only the second week of the year and the art supplies were expensive. Today was the worst day to be late, too. It felt like a conspiracy sometimes. He wondered if Jongdae wasn’t secretly wishing Baekhyun would fail. His best friend knew. He had heard Baekhyun complain about Mr. Do more than once. Baekhyun hoped for a “new year, new teacher” scenario but, unfortunately, that was not the case. Although he could not deny Mr. Do’s talent, he still felt like the guy hated his guts — well, sure, the way he was late almost every week the year before did not help, but who could blame him, his class started at 8 AM. Satan’s hour.

 

After a few minutes, he finally arrived in front of his classroom, wishing he was dead and trying to get some fresh air in his lungs. It burned and he could swear he heard his mom’s voice telling him to take better care of himself in the back of his mind. He brushed it off, tried to flatten his hair on his head — to no avail, really — and he glanced at his phone one last time, whining when he realized he was almost fifteen minutes late. He blew on his fringe, and he finally entered the classroom.

 

Just as he expected, Mr. Do eyed him with a displeased expression, pressing his lips in a thin line. This time, though, the professor simply motioned in the direction of an empty stool beside one of the easels. It was only then that Baekhyun noticed somebody else standing next to the familiar figure.

 

The tall man, towering over him and the professor, gave him an amused smile, looking pointedly at his messy hair. Baekhyun scrunched up his nose, trying to flatten it again.

 

“Well, that’s actually all I had to say, so… I’m going to pop in the other classrooms to tell others about the collaboration offer,” the man bowed his head slightly. “If you have any questions regarding the collaboration, please contact me via email,” he pointed to the address written down neatly on the blackboard, “or just come up to me after class. I’ll be staying here for the break so you can catch me outside.” He gave a small smile to the class and Mr. Do and went out of the room after a goodbye. As soon as the door closed, several girls sighed, exchanging glances.

 

“Byun.” Mr. Do gave Baekhyun an unamused look. “You get a minus point. It’s the second week of the semester and you already managed to be,” he glanced at his watch, “16 minutes late.”

 

“I’m sorry, 16 minutes?” he asked, frowning. He knew it was not true. The handsome guy from before was at fault. That’s who he blamed.

 

“Exactly. Is there anything you would like me to clarify regarding this matter?” the professor asked with a straight face, still looking at Baekhyun. He turned around before Baekhyun could even open his mouth and started writing a lesson subject on the blackboard. “Take out your watercolors, please.”

 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, opening his backpack and pulling out his palette. He looked at the girl next to him, Dahyun, and lowered his voice to a whisper.

 

“What was the thing about the collaboration? And who’s the guy?”

 

“He works for Mintblueish, the clothing brand. They’re looking for young artists to collaborate on the designs for their new collection,” she whispered back. “Just go up to him later and he’ll tell you, he’s super nice.” The girl smiled; a bit embarrassed by the light blush flowering on her cheeks.

 

“What now, you like old men?” he chuckled as she rolled his eyes at him and he looked at the board, waiting for his teacher to start.

 

“He was just cute. Do you even have eyes?” Dahyun shook her head at him mockingly and organized her brushes.

 

“Kim, Byun, I can hear you, even when you’re whispering. You’re up for minus points.”

 

“He definitely needs to get laid, like, ASAP.” Baekhyun said, putting his backpack down.

 

“I heard that too. That’s one minus point for Mr. Byun and a warning for Ms. Kim.”

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

Baekhyun was looking around for the tall man he saw at the beginning of his class. He had no real idea what the collaboration was about — he definitely could not ask Dahyun, Mr. Do was looking at him way too often — and he needed to talk to him, in case it could be an opportunity he wanted to take. When he finally saw the stranger, he jogged up to him, his backpack hanging on his right shoulder. He cleared his throat to get his attention, and when he turned around, he smiled politely.

 

“Hi, I’m Byun Baekhyun. I’d like to ask you some questions about the collaboration?” He presented his paint-stained hand and waited for the older to shake it. The stranger shook his hand, seemingly not minding the dried paint.

 

“Hi. Park Chanyeol. I work for Mintblueish,” he returned the smile, his big eyes crinkling adorably. Baekhyun could finally look at the man properly. Apart from his height – he had to tilt his head to look in his eyes – he noticed his full lips, black hair styled nicely in a comma, and his pretty round eyes that made it difficult to actually determine his age. He could either be 20 or 30, Baekhyun thought, a bit confused. His boyish smile made it even harder to believe that he actually worked anywhere. “So, about the collaboration… We’re looking for young artists, some fresh blood to work with on new designs. We want to make 10 new patterns and several prints and applications to use in the SS21 collection,” he explained, an amused smile lingering on his lips. “Are you interested?” he asked, raising one eyebrow with a smirk. At this point, Baekhyun realized that he might have been staring for a bit too long. He blinked once, his eyes falling from the man’s face to his broad shoulders, and he looked at him again, trying to act natural.

 

“Yes, it could be a great opportunity. How does this work? How are you gonna choose?” Baekhyun scratched his cheek with his left hand, leaving some blue paint behind.

 

“We’d like to have a look at your portfolios first. Our team will choose five of them and then we’d like to have a meeting with the students to discuss your ideas and the details of the project.” Chanyeol fished out an elegant black wallet from his back pocket and took out a business card with his name on it. “This is my card. I’d like you to send your portfolio to my email address and then, if it’s chosen, someone’s gonna contact you,” he said, hiding the wallet and adjusting his suit jacket. He was dressed in black from head to toe. The fitted jacket matching his slacks covered a simple black half-turtleneck, which, as Baekhyun couldn’t help but notice, snugly fitted his broad chest and nicely outlined the toned muscles. The only glimpse of color was a fine silver chain decorating the left side of the jacket.

 

“I see,” Baekhyun grabbed the card, reading Chanyeol’s information on it, and then he smiled. “Should I send you something specific from my portfolio or is anything good as long as it is representative of what I’m doing?”

 

“Treat it as a mood board. You can show anything you want as long as it showcases your skills and some aesthetic feeling,” the man’s eyes followed his paint-stained hands and he tilted his head slightly, looking Baekhyun in the eye.

 

“One last question, when should I send it? There might be a limited time for the submission, right?” he raised an eyebrow, tilting his head as well.

 

“There is. If you’re interested, I’d like you to contact me before the end of the week. The deadline is September 16.”

 

“The 16th… I’ll be sure to send it to you before then, I won’t be late,” this time, he thought, mentally rolling his eyes at himself — and at Jongdae.

 

“I hope so. Although you’re pulling off the look pretty well,” the man grinned, shamelessly giving him a once-over, Baekhyun’s hair still a mess after running to be on time – which had been pointless, really. “If you have any more questions, please use the address on the card,” he added, going back to his composed professional look in a split second. Baekhyun seemed to think for a moment before he understood what the man meant by that. He frowned, mechanically sliding his hand into his hair. He wanted to roll his eyes at him, that old man but he also wanted to have a chance at the project, so he just smiled, fake and big.

 

“I’ll make sure to do that if I ever need to.”

 

“I’ll be glad to hear from you,” the man raised one eyebrow and turned to a girl who approached him with a sheepish smile.

 

“H-Hi, I got a question…”

 

Baekhyun finally rolled his eyes once Chanyeol turned his back at him, pocketing the card and grabbing his phone. He didn’t even manage to check his notifications before he felt a pat on the back.

 

“Baek, what the !” Jongdae screamed-whispered, suddenly appearing at his side. “Who’s this guy?” Baekhyun turned his head, looking at his roommate — definitely not his best friend anymore — and he sighed.

 

“Why do you care, ?”

 

“You were literally sight-ing over there, what the hell! Is he in your group?!”

 

“The ? He’s like a hundred years old,” Baekhyun frowned. He actually had no idea how old he was, but who cared really, “He’s working for Mintblueish, they’re doing a collaboration with young artists. I think he’s friends with Do, which says a lot if you ask me. Also, what the are you talking about, sight-ing? You have a problem dude, get help.”

 

“A dumb like you won’t give me lectures,” Jongdae scoffed, offended. “Firstly, sight-ing is a thing. Example: the thing you’ve done a minute ago. I was literally standing there and couldn’t get myself to say hi, the tension was… oh.” he shivered exaggeratedly. “And well, Mintblueish? Dude, you gotta apply, they’re freaking great!”

 

“You need to get laid, , you’re starting to see things that do not exist.” He put his phone back in his pocket, pulling out the card. “And I will, which is why I was talking to him, he gave me his card so I can send him my portfolio.”

 

“Show me.” Jongdae took the card from Baekhyun. “I know him! He went to my school,” he smiled excitedly, turning to glance at Chanyeol, who stood a few steps behind them. He was done talking with the girl and leaned back on the wall. He smirked when he noticed Baekhyun looking at him again. “Damn, he’s way hotter than I remembered,” he muttered. “Park Chanyeol, Assistant Fashion Designer. , now I’m jealous.”

 

“You can have him all you want.” He took the card from his friend’s hand and pushed it back into his pocket.

 

", I wish. But yeah, you should totally apply. They do great stuff; I really like their projects. I even got their t-shirt on my birthday. The thing is precious, I could sell it and eat for a month." Jongdae shook his head. "Okay, anyway. I need to go to my classes soon, I just popped in for a minute." He took a small box out of his backpack and handed it to Baekhyun with a smile. "You forgot your lunch on the kitchen counter."

 

“Oh jeez, I wonder whose fault is that," he groaned, taking the box from his friend’s hands and opening his backpack to put it inside.

 

"Are you mad at me because you got drunk?!"

 

“I’m mad at myself because I chose you as my best friend and that was a stupid move.”

 

"I made the mistake of choosing you and now I have to deal with my dumb of a friend so I can relate. Anyway, I packed you some painkillers in case your head hurts after the ten shots you drank yesterday." Jongdae smiled, putting his backpack on. "Okay, I gotta go. Keep me updated on the Mintblueish thingy. And keep an eye on this guy. You're doing the ing thing again and that's weird," he glanced at Chanyeol and raised his eyebrows at Baekhyun.

 

“Yeah. Okay, bye, Jongdae. See you never, you .” He pushed him, rolling his eyes as he heard him laugh while walking away from him. He sometimes wondered why he was friends with him, and then he remembered he actually liked him, so there was that.

 

"I may be but we both know you're the number one hoe in the house!" Jongdae shouted through the whole corridor, earning a few amused stares and vanishing behind the entrance door. Chanyeol turned his head, hiding his smile but Baekhyun could still see his shoulders shaking in muffled laughter.

 

“I ing hate that ,” Baekhyun whispered to himself before turning around and leaving the corridor too. Yeah, maybe Park Chanyeol was hot — a tiny bit — but he couldn’t get himself to care. He was almost late for his next class, again thanks to Jongdae — maybe it was his fault this time, who knew — and he walked faster, his hand holding onto his backpack. He was pretty sure that a pair of round captivating eyes was following him down the corridor.

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

"Have you chosen the works for your portfolio?" Jongdae sat down by the small kitchen table with a sandwich in his mouth, hands occupied by a phone and a steaming tea mug.

 

“Just a few of them. I’m not sure if I made the right choice. Would you mind giving me your opinion?” Baekhyun was wearing an old shirt covered in paint, his hair tied up in a pigtail on his head and he sat down next to his best friend, his laptop in his hands.

 

"Yes, I'm not sure I want to help someone who didn't even ask if I wanted something from the store when he went, though." the blonde settled on the chair, putting the sandwich on the plate and running his fingers through his freshly washed hair. "Maybe if I was drinking the orange juice I wanted to ask for, I'd be happy to help. Who knows."

 

“Boohoo, I’m so sad, my best friend is mad at me ‘cause he couldn’t drink his juice.” Baekhyun put the laptop on the table. “Get over it, Kim Jongdae, and drink some water instead. You need it, you look like an old dried sponge.”

 

"You look like a ing zombie and I'm not saying a word. And you dare to insult me like that?" Jongdae faked an offended expression. "Truly pathetic. Give me the laptop."

 

“Only truth can hurt you.” He put the laptop on Jongdae's side, opening the file for him.

 

"Well, then, hoe." His friend went through the portfolio, munching on his food. "I like it. I think you could include at least one of your recent coal pieces, they came out really cool. And they'd suit their aesthetic. Have you looked through their shop?"

 

“Yeah, I did a bit of research on their last collections, and now I definitely remember you wearing one of their shirts. I didn’t know they had so many options though, it’s really cool.” Baekhyun took a bite of Jongdae’s sandwich. “I totally get why you like the brand. It’s really ethical too,”

 

"I know, right? They're legit one of my favorites apart from queen Prada. That's why I'm jealous of the Park boy, I'd love to work for them one day." Jongdae sighed dreamily, giving the laptop back to Baekhyun. "You're good, I think you'll make it."

 

Baekhyun nudged him with his elbow, his eyes on his screen. “You’ll get there, babe.” He opened the file with his coal pieces and he turned his head towards Jongdae. “Thank you, I’ll try my best. I’ll get you connections in there,” he winked, smiling.

 

"Does that mean you're gonna connect with Park?"

 

“It means my fist will connect with your face, you .”

 

"Are you sure you didn't mean your face and his ?" Jongdae raised his eyebrows. "You're sending it to him, right?"

 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to buy you a e, Kim? You really sound .”

 

"But I'm not the one fluttering my lashes at some random hot guy." the boy squinted his eyes. "Oh, how about you add a ? Have you got any?"

 

“Says the guy who kept flirting with the bartender the other night. And I wasn’t fluttering anything, by the way, you’re just a dumb idiot.” He pushed his face away when Jongdae asked him about nudes, rolling his eyes like he always did. “Give me one of yours if you’re so interested. Maybe he’ll answer.”

 

"Totally. Hi, your portfolio but it seems like your friend would too. Can you please give me his number? Best regards." Jongdae snorted and dipped his tea. "Hit send, see what happens."

 

“You’re useless and I still wonder why we’re friends.” He grabbed the sandwich from the plate and finished it, putting one last drawing into the file before drafting an email.

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

It was a long week. From the moment Baekhyun sent the email to the day he’d get an answer, he had to wait long enough for him to start getting nervous, doubting his work and his choice of certain pieces. Usually, he was pretty confident about his art – he liked what he did and people often complimented him on it. It took a lot of intense work for him to finally be able to appreciate what he did, to finally make Baekhyun capable of having an objective eye on his work. Which, in a way, made the whole process even worse, really, as he doubted each and every choice he made before sending that email. Jongdae had been there to give him advice and the boy knew the brand, but it didn’t stop Baekhyun from wondering whether he should have been bolder. He wished the week would quickly pass by, and he’d just get his answer. He wasn’t the most patient person, and the more time passed, the more Baekhyun regretted putting his black and white representation of happiness in the file. Now, he was a mess, which was a new sight for some of the students in his class. Generally, Baekhyun often came off as a confident and carefree person, so to some of them, it seemed that he wouldn't actually take the opportunity seriously. But Baekhyun wanted it, and the one email made him more nervous than ever, as waiting for the answer seemed to take years.

 

Baekhyun got his notification about a message from Mintblueish Park Chanyeol in the middle of his Art History class. The reasonable thing to do would have been to wait for his class to end and open it later, but Baekhyun had never claimed himself to be reasonable. He opened his mail app, glancing every two seconds as his teacher — another old man, who couldn’t actually see anything from where he was, ah, bless the old age. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a second, and he opened the mail, trying to keep calm, nervously bouncing his leg under the table.

 

From: [email protected]

Subject: SS21 Collaboration Entry

 

Dear Mr. Byun,

Thank you for your entry. We are pleased to inform you that your portfolio has been selected by our Design Department and you have been qualified for the next recruitment stage. We kindly invite you to participate in the meeting regarding the collaboration, held in the Mintblueish head office on 25 Sep. at 6 PM. Below you will find the office address. Please find the invitation attached and present it at the reception desk.

Best regards,

Park Chanyeol

Assistant Designer, Mintblueish.

 

 

“ yes!” Baekhyun exclaimed, getting dark looks from some of his classmates, and being completely ignored by the others – they were used to it now, they were used to him – and he quickly put his phone down under the table so the teacher would not see it as he looked up at him.

 

“Something you would like to share with us, Mr. Byun?” He raised an eyebrow.

 

“Just really excited by Botticelli’s Venus, professor,” he answered, smiling happily, and Mr. Lee ignored him and returned to his lesson. Baekhyun looked down at his phone again, quickly typing a text for Jongdae, sharing the news with his best friend.

 

From Baekhyun: HVKVKGKFK I GOT IN!!!! BEHOLD, HERE COMES THE FUTURE FAMOUS CREATOR BYUN BAEK-ING-HYUN

 

From Jongdae: OMFG I BELIEEVED IN YOU FICKFACE SO PORUD DHJSAHDSAJD

 

From Jongdae: wait tho isnt there like a second step or something

 

From Baekhyun: way to ing break the mood -.-

 

From Baekhyun: There is, i’m in the recruitment stage, i gotta go to a meeting to talk about the collaboration. UR GONNA HAVE TO GIVE ME UR BEST WORK AND MAKE ME LOOK STYLISH AF BABE

 

From Jongdae: I ALREADY HAVE YOUR OUTFIT PLANNED

 

From Baekhyun: YOU DA MAN KIM JONGDAE

 

From Jongdae: I’M TURNING ON THE SEWING MACHINE RN BYE

 

From Jongdae: ALSO I’M GOING WITH YOU DJSFDSKDHSFJ

 

From Baekhyun: IM NOT SURE ITS ALLOWED BUT I MEAN, YOU CAN USE UR CHARMS WITH THE RECEPTIONIST

 

From Jongdae: im just gonna sit by the door and be an anxious mom LET ME DO MY THING

 

From Baekhyun: OKAY MOM BUT DONT EMBARRASS ME

 

From Jongdae: you know i will lol bye

 

From Jongdae: we ran out of milk can you buy some

 

From Baekhyun: unfortunately i do

 

From Baekhyun: im only saying yes cos im in a good mood, next time move ur and go buy some you .

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

“How are you feeling?” I’m so nervous I’m gonna puke,” Jongdae muttered when they entered the Mintblueish headquarters and took a look around. The main entrance led to an elegant, sparsely decorated hall with a reception desk situated in the middle of the wall covered in a black and white honeycomb print in front of the entrance door framed with gold. Behind the desk sat a young man in a perfectly fitted suit, typing quietly on his laptop. He stood up when he saw the two boys coming in.

 

“Good evening. How can I help you?”

 

“You’re not helping,” Baekhyun whispered to Jongdae before smiling at the man behind the desk. “Good evening. I have an invitation for a meeting with Park Chanyeol?” He handed him the invitation, his hands trembling the slightest and he hated himself for it.

 

“Oh, of course. Please take the elevator to the fifth floor and you'll find room 61 on the right side.” The man gave him a polite smile after checking the printed invitation. Baekhyun smiled back, grabbing the Guest badge and putting it around his neck.

 

“Okay… Okay, it’s time,” he turned to Jongdae. “How do I look?”

 

“Like a very fashionable person who’s gonna make Park Chanyeol eat out of his hand,” Jongdae smiled proudly, fixing the collar of the black denim jacket he chose for Baekhyun. He spent half an afternoon, fitting and sewing a piece of his old shirt onto its back. Baekhyun’s favorite jacket had now a black and white cloud print on the back, matching it with his skinny black jeans and a white t-shirt with black and red PSYCHO CANDY print. “Actually, you look like the kind of crazy but reliable illustrator, who’s gonna fit their aesthetic perfectly,” he decided, changing his mind. “And for once, your hands are clean.” He gave Baekhyun an encouraging smile and hugged him quickly, pushing him in the direction of the elevator. “Go, my child. Make them fall for you!”

 

“Thank you for everything, jerk!” Baekhyun smiled, waving at his friend before taking another step into the elevator. His exterior demeanor made him look like he was one hundred percent relaxed. He fitted in the place quite easily, but his heart was beating so fast he swore it could burst out of his chest at any moment. He checked his hair in the elevator mirror one last time and took a deep breath as he heard the familiar ping! and stepped out, looking for room 61. He hesitated a few seconds when he finally was in front of the door, feeling like he was gonna die as soon as his fist knocked on it. He didn’t though, and he just stood there, waiting for an answer.

 

The door soon opened and Baekhyun was welcomed by an almost familiar blinding smile.

 

“Mr. Byun? Hello, please come in.” Park Chanyeol stepped aside, letting him into the room. He sported another elegant black suit that made Baekhyun stare at him a little longer than he should. This time he wore a white shirt, highlighting his slightly tanned skin, and a black tie, which made him look intimidatingly professional. “I didn’t expect you so early,” he glanced at the clock, which was at 5:57 PM, and gave him a lopsided smile. He obviously referred to the first time they had seen each other and Baekhyun badly wanted to roll his eyes at him, or even give him a you’re dead to me kind of stare, but he just smiled instead, faking amusement.

 

“Yes, it happens sometimes,” he said, as if him being on time was something really rare — it actually was, but he was not going to admit it. “Where should I go?” he asked, painfully wanting to get away from the tall man in front of him. Chanyeol tilted his head with a curious glimpse in his eyes.

 

“Choose a place by the table, please,” he motioned in the direction of a large white elliptic table in the center of the bright room. The office consisted of one spacious room and five small booths on one side. Contrary to the clean main room, the booths, separated from it with transparent doors with elegant name tags were littered with colorful pictures, magazines, and fabric scraps. Each one contained an identical desk and a white chair but all the boards, posters, and post-it notes made it hard to notice. They were all different, obviously occupied by people of varying tastes and personalities but equally full of interesting details.

 

Baekhyun smiled politely and walked to the table, nodding at the four other people already present. He sat down, his back straight and his hands on the table, waiting for the meeting to start. He was nervous, and Park Chanyeol’s comment did not help.

 

The man entered one of the booths to take a clipboard from under a pile of magazines, sending several clippings flying to the floor, and sat down in front of the five candidates. Baekhyun recognized three of them from the academy. One of the girls smiled at him, seemingly equally nervous. Park Chanyeol glanced at the clock and took a breath, browsing through the files in front of him.

 

“Okay. My dears, congratulations for getting to the next phase!” he smiled at the nervous students in front of him. “Our design team has reviewed 124 portfolios and selected the best five. Now I’d like to tell you a bit more about the requirements for the project. Don’t be so scared, you’re over the awful part already.” Chanyeol looked at each of them and clasped his hands on the table. “Now we would like you to prepare some sample designs for us so we can see what you can do. I’ll send an email with the requirements to each of you at the end of the meeting, but I’d like to talk about them briefly first, okay?”

 

Baekhyun nodded, listening to every word Chanyeol was saying. He had a notepad in front of him, a pen in his hand, and he wrote down every information he deemed important. The man explained everything in detail, keeping eye contact with each of the candidates and making sure they understood every step of the process. He seemed incredibly patient and organized for a person whose booth was so cluttered it seemed difficult to move in.

 

“Any questions? The deadline is in two weeks and I expect to get three fabric patterns, five applications, and five prints from you. Is that clear?” Baekhyun lifted his hand slowly, trying to get Chanyeol’s attention.

 

“Yes, Mr. Byun?”

 

“Can we send you an email if we need anything?” He asked, the pen rolling on his notepad. Baekhyun was a nervous wreck. He was used to working on a lot of different projects, but this was something new, and he didn’t want to screw this up.

 

“Of course. My generous boss tasked me with the recruiting process so I’ll be answering all your questions, should you have any,” Chanyeol gave the candidates a slightly lopsided smile. “Although I’m more than happy to work extra hours in an enclosed space, please make your emails worth my time and don’t ask about the details you can find in the requirement sheets.” He cocked an eyebrow, letting a hint of irony in his voice, and stood up after a minute of silence. “Okay, if that’s all, please sign your NDAs for me and you’re free. I’ll be waiting for your emails.”

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

“So, how was it?!” Jongdae jumped up excitedly when he saw Baekhyun coming out of the elevator. Baekhyun grabbed his guest badge, giving it back to the receptionist, who gave him a wide smile. He stood behind his desk, leaning on the counter. It seemed like Jongdae and he had already become friends during his absence. Baekhyun wasn’t even surprised.

 

“It was… It was fine?” He smiled, letting out a deep breath. “It went way better than I thought it would! Well, we have a lot of things to do, but I think I’ll really like working on it…” He smiled happily and Jongdae hugged him tight, excited.

 

“I’m so glad!! I was sure it’s gonna be okay. By the way, meet Yixing,” he motioned to the receptionist who shook Baekhyun’s hand. His grip was much firmer than he could have expected.

 

“Nice to meet you. Your friend here says you’re the best out there so I hope to see you again soon.”

 

“He’s definitely right.” Baekhyun chuckled. “I hope I’ll see you soon again too,” he made a face though, turning to Jongdae, “even if it means I have to see Park Chanyeol again.”

 

Yixing chuckled and Jongdae looked at him curiously.

 

“Oh, what did he do?”

 

“Dude made a comment about how I was late the other day, like what, it never happened to you? Also, what’s with the full-black outfit and the smirk? You’re not that impressive, stop acting like a damn mafia boss. And full-black is a look only a few can pull off, and you, my man, are not one of them.” Yes, he was but Baekhyun was pissed and was not thinking straight.

 

“Wow, you either think he’s hot as and don’t want to admit it or you really hate him,” Jongdae grinned, patting his shoulder. “I honestly think he looks great but whatever, mister art student.”

 

“You know nothing, Kim, shut the up. The only thing he is is a hot mess. I’ve seen his desk, okay.”

 

“You should see his flat,” Yixing smiled and waved to Chanyeol, who came out of the elevator and strode in their direction, fixing his comma hair.

 

“Hello again, Mr. Byun. Hi, Yixing, are you off already? Let’s go eat or I’m gonna starve, I need to pull an all-nighter again and I can’t do that on an empty stomach.” He made a pained expression and turned to Jongdae. “Hello, I don’t think we’ve officially met? I’m Park Chanyeol.”
 

“Kim Jongdae. Nice to meet you. I’m Baekhyun’s support system today. I think you went to the Art and Design School as well?” Jongdae smiled, doing his best to hold back his laughter and not look at Baekhyun’s horrified expression. His eyes were wide open, his nails digging into Jongdae’s arm.

 

“Oh, yeah! I think my friend Junmyeon was your mentor in your first year, wasn’t he?” Chanyeol smiled at him, giving Yixing the office keys, while the receptionist collected his stuff.

 

“Yes! Exactly.” Jongdae tried to discreetly loosen Baekhyun’s hold on his arm but both of them saw Chanyeol’s eyes flicking to the boy’s hand. He kept a straight face, making small talk with Jongdae and waiting for his friend to get ready to go.

 

“It was nice to meet you,” he nodded to Jongdae, his lips curving up slightly when he looked at Baekhyun. “Hit me up if you need anything, Mr. Byun here has my business card. See you around, I guess?”

 

“Thanks! See you around!” Jongdae waved excitedly at the two boys and pulled Baekhyun to the exit, bursting into laughter as soon as they were out of their earshot. “, I… I can’t believe!” Baekhyun pushed him, visibly not amused at all.

 

“Stop laughing, you ing jerk! It’s not funny, I’m screwed!”

 

“Maybe Yixing won’t tell him anything?” Jongdae mused when he finally managed to calm down. “Oh, god, I can’t believe I’m friends with you.”

 

“Yeah right, because you wouldn’t say anything to me if this happened.” He rolled his eyes. “ it, I’m leaving. What even is the point anyway.”

 

“Calm down, idiot. He can’t just kick you out because you think he doesn’t look ing hot in his suit.” Jongdae shook his head at him, an amused smile still lingering on his lips. “Work on the designs and forget about this. It’s too great of an opportunity to just drop it because you insulted one of the judges in front of his friend.”

 

Baekhyun sighed, but he couldn’t deny it, Jongdae was right. Baekhyun had made a mistake, but he couldn’t just give up on everything, not when he was one of the few who were able to get this far.

 

“Okay, but I’m telling you, if he makes my life a living hell, I’ll make yours even worse.”

 

“Why would he? Just do your job, it’s gonna be alright,” his friend assured him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

It wasn’t alright. It definitely wasn’t.

 

Baekhyun started to work on the designs almost immediately, looking for inspiration and trying to choose the right technique and style. He was focused on the task and he even managed to forget about the incident at the company headquarters. That is, until he saw Park Chanyeol entering the classroom in the middle of Mr. Do’s morning lesson.

 

“Hi, Soo, I brought you the files you asked for,” he whispered, passing a briefcase to the professor. He had to lift his head to look at the man, which was a bit comical and maybe would make Baekhyun laugh if it wasn’t for his horrible memory with the man in question.

 

“Thank you, Yeol, you’re honestly saving my life,” he answered, smiling softly, and Baekhyun was surprised to see he was capable of such a thing. The class was silent as everyone focused on painting the vase Mr. Do displayed for them on a stool in the center of the circle formed by the easels.

 

“No problem.” Chanyeol returned the smile. He was dressed casually this time, just a loose black t-shirt and skinny jeans ripped on his knees, his hair disheveled. The man looked around the classroom curiously and his face lit up when he caught Baekhyun’s gaze. The student nodded at him, smiling politely before looking away and rolling his eyes discreetly behind his canvas. “No need to hide, Mr. Byun. The mafia boss is not here.” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow with an amused smile on his lips. His professor smirked as well, and Baekhyun wanted to die on the spot, his brush falling down from his hand and his cheeks turning red. What was he supposed to do now? Apologize? Crawl under a table and hide forever? Maybe kill him. He smiled apologetically, his paint-stained fingers scratching at the tip of his ear. He had half a mind to throw his glass of paint-water at the guy.

 

Professor Do and Park Chanyeol exchanged amused looks and the latter clasped his hands.

 

“Okay, I’ll go. I don’t wanna distract your dear student. See you in the evening,” he winked and waved at Mr. Do, who returned the smile and closed the door behind himself.

 

The rest of the lesson was much calmer and more normal which, for once, was a good thing. Baekhyun used to think that it was painfully boring, but he’d rather have a boring class than see Park Chanyeol again. The condescending jerk seemed way too proud of himself, and if that alone was not enough, his dear professor Do definitely knew what had happened. Baekhyun wanted to die. Or flee the country. He sighed to himself, walking through the corridors to join Jongdae for lunch. At least he’d have his comfort food to make him forget about what happened. And Jongdae to vent to.

 

“Over here, hoe!” he heard Jongdae shout from the other side of the cafeteria. His building was located right next to Baekhyun’s and they often met for lunch between their classes. As soon as Baekhyun came up to the table, he noticed two empty coffee cups. “My friend joined us for lunch, I hope you don’t mind. He’ll be back in a second.” Jongdae hugged him and sat back down.

 

“, at this point I don’t even care anymore. I just wanna ing die.” Baekhyun put his backpack down, taking a seat next to his best friend and he let his head fall between his arms on the table. “Please, I’m begging you, kill me.”

 

"What happened?" Jongdae raised an eyebrow.

 

“Park ing Chanyeol, that’s what happened,” he answered, his voice muffled.

 

"Oh?"

 

He ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it with frustration.

 

“I swear to God, I’m so ing unlucky it’s almost funny.” He looked up at Jongdae, his cheek and the tip of his ear covered in paint. He'd look almost cute if it wasn’t for the words coming out of his mouth. “That motherer came during my oil-painting class to bring whatever to Soo,” he tried impersonating Chanyeol, failing miserably, “and you wouldn’t ing believe what the jerk said to me.”

 

“Hit me,” his friend’s smile grew wider.

 

“No need to hide, Mr. Byun. The mafia boss is not here.” His voice was comically low, Baekhyun not giving up on his imitation. Jongdae burst out into laughter, slapping his thigh. “Why the are you laughing, you dumb ? My ing life is on the line here!”

 

“Is it?” he heard a low voice from behind him. Park Chanyeol sat down next to him on the free chair by the table, drinking the coffee from the cup next to Jongdae’s. “Sorry for scaring you, Mr. Byun.”

 

“Meet my friend,” Jongdae let out in a strangled voice, trying his best not to laugh. “I’ll… You want me to order you something? I’ll be back in a minute.” He stood up quickly, almost running to join the queue, not even waiting for Baekhyun’s answer. Chanyeol managed to keep a straight face, sipping his coffee while Baekhyun was cursing his roommate in his head, swearing on his own life that he will kill him.

 

“Scared?” he asked, his voice trembling. “W-Who’s scared, I’m not scared.” He sat up, swallowing down his pride and putting his phone down on the table.

 

“Well, I’m glad, then,” Chanyeol raised one eyebrow, watching him with a curious glimpse in his big eyes. “How’s the work going?” he asked, his eyes not leaving Baekhyun.

 

“It’s fine… I’ve been doing a lot of research and testing different techniques. I have a few ideas already, and I’ve made some sketches too.” Talking about work was okay. Baekhyun knew the subject and it was a safe conversation. He still wanted to run away, throwing Jongdae’s unfinished coffee in Park Chanyeol’s face but he was a seemingly decent human being and he just sat there, avoiding the man’s gaze.

 

“Oh, that’s great! We’d love you to get creative with the subject,” the man nodded, musing for a minute. “My boss really loved your portfolio. She even hung the coal sketch in her booth, hope you don’t mind.”

 

“S-She did what now?” he asked, his eyes widening and his fingers stopped fumbling with his phone.

 

“Is that a positive reaction or…?”

 

“Yeah! Yes, of course! That’s… Wow, that’s great! I just can’t believe it!”

 

Chanyeol grinned, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

 

“Ah, thank heavens,” he turned serious again. “But for real, the girls were really impressed. I hope your inspiration works well. It’d be cool if you got to work with us. But, keep in mind that my boss passionately hates people who waste her time.”

 

It kinda felt like this was personal, Baekhyun realized. Park Chanyeol already told him that during the meeting. Yeah, he had been late for class, but this was different. Baekhyun treated this seriously and he would not make anyone lose their time if he wasn’t ready to work hard on the project.

 

“Duly noted,” he answered, finally looking at Chanyeol. The man gave him a small smile, falling silent. Luckily, Jongdae was back before the silence got awkward and placed a tray before Baekhyun.

 

“Got your favorite,” he looked between them, observing both of the boys carefully. Baekhyun looked down at the plate and smiled softly muttering a thank you. He wondered why Chanyeol was there, but he couldn’t possibly ask this in front of him, so he opted for another subject.

 

“Weren’t you supposed to meet your mentee today?” He started eating, trying to ignore Chanyeol’s presence next to him.

 

“Oh, yeah. I did, we’ve seen each other in the morning before his classes. Then I came here earlier to find a book on art history you have in your library and ran into Chanyeol, who was working there.” Jongdae knew him way too well not to know what he was thinking about. “His name is Sehun. The kid has a typical face but is actually super nice. I think we have break on Thursday at the same time so maybe I’ll take him with me?”

 

“Yeah, you should definitely do that. He might be scared to death now that he’s met you, I gotta show him that there are freakingly good-looking people around here too.” He smiled and took a gulp of water. It was funny coming from a Baekhyun whose cheek and hands were covered in paint. Jongdae scoffed with an offended expression.

 

“I won’t take that from a guy who walks around even dirtier than his mouth.”

 

“That’s the proof of my hard work, you dumb , I’m doing something with my life.”

 

“That’s the proof you’re too lazy to even wash your hands and that’s disgusting,”  Jongdae stated, digging into his plate of pancakes. Chanyeol’s eyes wandered between the two boys during their little exchange. “And don’t call me a , .”

 

“I’m just telling the truth, you open your legs almost as much as you open your mouth, and that's saying a lot.”

 

“At least it gets me laid,” he raised his eyebrows at Baekhyun “unlike your dirty mouth that’s good only for talking about my non-ty friends,” he pointed at Chanyeol with his chin, smiling mischievously. Baekhyun kicked him under the table and he whined, giving him his best puppy eyes.

 

“That’s flattering, Kim,” Chanyeol said in his businesslike voice, sipping his coffee. “I’m glad at least one person at this table doesn’t hate me that much.” Baekhyun’s heart missed a beat, wishing his boss wasn’t here right now, telling the truth and putting him in a really hard position. He thought he should ignore the comment, because what was he supposed to say really?

 

“You don’t have friends, you , nobody likes you.” He glanced at Chanyeol and sighed silently. “I don’t hate you,” he murmured, eating his lunch.

 

“Duly noted,” the man gave him a small smile. Baekhyun was pretty sure he felt him nudging his leg under the table, but he wasn’t sure if it was on purpose.

 

“Okay, so anyway,” Jongdae swallowed a bite and turned to Chanyeol. “What is this work like? I was thinking about applying one day.”

 

Baekhyun looked down at his plate, rolling his eyes again, for no other reason than him just hating on the guy next to him. Chanyeol always played the nice guy card on everyone else, but kept mocking him anytime he had the opportunity. He seriously had no idea what Jongdae saw in him. They ate their lunch, the two boys discussing work and Baekhyun glaring at them from above his plate, and they said their goodbyes after, Baekhyun going back to his classes, Jongdae coming back to his building and Chanyeol taking out his laptop and a sketchbook to work some more with another cup of double espresso in hand.

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

Baekhyun worked hard. That Jongdae could not deny. He took his job seriously, staying up late at night to work on his prints, and doing research after research to find the perfect elements for his designs. He looked tired, exhausted even, but seeing Baekhyun work on his art had always been one of Jongdae’s favorite things. He was passionate. Baekhyun loved creating beautiful pieces from nothing, playing with various fabrics, materials, and techniques. If there was one thing he knew how to do, it was creating. There was this glimmer in his eyes every time he was working on something that Jongdae found invariably fascinating. He was hard-working, always paid close attention to the details, and had a unique style, which made every one of his creations so different from other artists’. Some would say Jongdae was biased – Baekhyun was his best friend and he loved him to death, but Jongdae’s praises were always honest.

 

The boy’s hands were covered in dark coal smudges after working on a sketch earlier when he finally picked up a pastel blue fabric to work with. He loved the contrast and he grabbed a pen to write something down in his sketchbook. Baekhyun’s mind shifted into high gear, his ideas coming together between his hands, yet more and more new concepts forming in his head. He was sitting on the floor, his room a chaotic mess. No one but him could find his way around the piles of brushes, scraps, papers, and art supplies of every kind. A disorganized workplace that would make some of his friends nervous and fidgeting, made Baekhyun feel at home, and this was it. He picked up a few different fabrics, putting them next to each other and trying out different combinations. He frowned, his face still dirty from the coal, his hair tied up on the top of his head, and his clothes a paint-stained mess. This was the real Baekhyun. He was doing his best, worrying that it still was not enough and occasionally ripping some sketches off his pinboard when he was not satisfied with them. He only had 2 weeks, and it had to be perfect. Baekhyun needed it to be perfect.

 

Jongdae knew the scheme already and simply let Baekhyun dive into the creative madness, taking care of him in the meantime. He’d bring him food, make coffee when he stayed up late, and make sure that Baekhyun woke up in time for his classes. He’d occasionally take him out for walks too, so he wouldn’t stay indoors for the whole day and show him anything he found interesting while working on his own projects in the adjacent room. This was their rhythm and their safe space inside the small cozy flat in the suburbs.

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

“Dinner’s ready!” Jongdae shouted from the kitchen. “Come here, you ungrateful !”

 

“Comin’!” Baekhyun shouted back, drawing one last detail before finally standing up. He stretched his arms, back, and legs, hearing the crack in his joints, and he went to the kitchen, washing his hands before turning to Jongdae. “What do we eat?” he asked, coming closer and glancing at the steaming pot from above Jongdae’s shoulder.

 

“Beef stew. Get the plates and move my sketches.”

 

“Is it your mom’s recipe?” Baekhyun asked, already delighted by the thought of it. He carefully put Jongdae’s sketches away and grabbed the plates from the cupboard, putting them on the table.

 

“That’s the one,” Jongdae smiled, bustling around the small kitchen. “Get ready, I’ve outdone myself.”

 

“Damn! I haven’t been able to eat it in so long, it’s like one of my favorites!” He grabbed a couple of glasses. “Why did you though? Special occasion? Are you finally gonna introduce me to your imaginary boyfriend?” he smirked.

 

“I don’t have a boyfriend, you .” Jongdae put down the pot on the placemat and sat by the table. “We’re celebrating the fact that you’re almost done and we’re bracing ourselves because I got a project and it’s gonna be mad in here. So, I wanted to cook something nice when I still have time.”

 

“Mad project, huh?” He sat down, grabbing the bottle of water and pouring some in their glasses. “Tell me more,” he asked, smiling.

 

“Well, I need to design a collection for my classes. I need to have it ready in three months and that’s gonna take a while. The thing is… Hmm…” Jongdae let out an exaggerated sigh. “You know, Baekhyun, how nothing in your life comes free?”

 

“Yeaaaah?” He raised an eyebrow, looking at Jongdae cautiously. He knew his best friend enough to know he was about to ask him for something, and it was not going to be a small favor.

 

“Well, sweetie… I’ve helped you through your marathon, haven’t I?” Jongdae started, drumming his fingers on the table with an innocent smile.

 

“Yeah…?”

 

“I cooked for you and woke you up for classes, is that right?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“And I was a very good friend for you during these tough two weeks…”

 

“You were…”

 

“Well, then, darling… I’m sure you’ll be happy to return the favor and be a model for my collection. I’m gonna sew five different pieces. You need to be available for several fittings and let me do whatever I want. You have absolutely no say in this and I’m not gonna take the I don’t wanna wear that bull, okay?” Jongdae smiled sweetly. “Then we’re going to organize a photo session and you’re going to pose in my absolutely stunning dre… clothes,” he announced, smiling happily. “Now, dig in.”

 

“‘I’m sorry, what?”

 

“You heard me.”

 

“Why the do I have to do that?” He asked, looking at his friend with a frown. “I mean I’m fine with the model thing but why do I have to do a photoshoot and pose in your dresses? And yes, I heard that.”

 

"Because I need the pictures to get my grade and your face and silhouette fit my vision perfectly," Jongdae looked at him pleadingly. "And because I'm asking you? Please? Only two of them will be actual dresses," he assured "and I need a boy to model for me."

 

“Ugh, fine, I’ll do it. You’re lucky I love you, you dumb .” Baekhyun groaned and started eating, rolling his eyes.

 

“Thanks!! I love you too!” Jongdae stood up quickly to pull him into a hug. "Bon appétit!"

 

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

 

Baekhyun was exhausted after finishing the project and he went to sleep for twelve hours straight, not letting anything nor anyone wake him up. He was satisfied with his work and eventually found it good enough to mail it to Park Chanyeol on the very last day of the deadline. He was about to make the last few changes when Jongdae walked into his room to check up on him and one look from his friend was all he needed to realize he was just spiraling in his lack of confidence and his nervousness.

 

The day after, having finally gotten some sleep, the only thing he had to do – aside from working on his school projects – was to wait for an answer. Sitting in the living room, Jongdae was working on his designs nestled in one of the armchairs, and Baekhyun was drawing him, comfortably sitting in the other one.

 

“How do you feel about Mintblueish?” Jongdae asked, focused on the flat sketch he was drawing on his tablet. Baekhyun looked up for a second, observed the boy, and went back to his drawing.

 

“I don’t know, I’m okay?” That was a lie and Jongdae huffed a laugh. Baekhyun sighed. “I’m a nervous wreck but drawing is calming me down.”

 

“Mhmm,” the blonde erased the same part of the sketch for the sixth time already. “I think I’m as nervous as you. I really liked your works but I’m also curious what did the others whip out.”

 

Baekhyun’s phone chimed, lighting up.

 

“I’m pretty sure they all did a good job, they really are talented, honestly,” He picked it up and unlocked it. He had an unread email and he straightened up quickly when he saw it was from Park Chanyeol. “He answered,” he said nervously, looking at Jongdae. The boy perked up, impatient.

 

“What did he say?” Baekhyun opened the mail and rolled his eyes when he finally read it.

 

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: SS21 Collaboration Entry

 

Dear Mr. Byun,

Thank you for your message. We shall review all of the works sent to us and contact the candidates within 5 working days.

Best regards,

Park Chanyeol

Assistant Designer, Mintblueish.

 

“Nothing major, just that they got my work and they’ll contact me in a few days.” He sighed and sat back properly in the armchair.

 

“Oh, it,” Jongdae sighed. “I’m gonna die here waiting. Do you wanna go do something nonsensical?” he whined. “Like get drunk or go see some random concert? Repaint our flat? Call up some friends and go out? Go buy some candy and eat it at Namsan Tower? Go swimming?” Baekhyun chuckled and looked at him.

 

“Are you sure I’m the one who needs this?” he pushed his fringe away from his eyes. “How about we go out? I’ll buy you a drink.”

 

"Okay," Jongdae threw his head back dramatically. "Baekhyun, take my hand and let's escape from this cruel world of waiting for Park Chanyeol's email."

 

Baekhyun put his sketchbook down, standing up and looking at his friend. He grabbed his hand, pulling him up.

 

“Life is too cruel to stay here any longer, follow me, Jongdae! We deserve more than that.” He put his arm around his friend's waist, pulling him closer.

 

"Truly, my dear." Jongdae cupped Baekhyun's face in his hands. "Let's go and get faced drunk!" he shouted, twirling in a ridiculous imitation of a pirouette.

 

“Let’s do it!” He walked to his bedroom, his friend closely following. “I’ll even let you choose my outfit babe,” Baekhyun singsonged, opening his door and taking off his shirt.

 

"Oh, god," Jongdae's eyes widened. "You're in for a surprise!”

 

“Aaaand, I’m already regretting this.” Baekhyun said, sitting on his bed and watching Jongdae getting excited.

 

“Look what I found in the thrift shop yesterday!" he almost stumbled, running to his room and jumping back after a minute with a flowy dark blue silk shirt in his hand. "Two buttons open, you’re gonna look ing great in this!"

 

“And here we are again, you trying to turn me into a ,” Baekhyun stood up, grabbing the shirt and looking at it properly. “I like it, great job, Kim!” he smiled at his best friend.

 

“Boy, I don’t even need to try, you’re a already.” Jongdae quirked an eyebrow. “Get dressed and get some black pants, I’m gonna put something on and paint you.”

 

Half an hour later, they were ready to go – Baekhyun in the silky shirt with a light peach make-up on and his best friend dressed in a plain t-shirt and a black jacket he decorated with fine chains and safety pins on one of the long summer afternoons.

 

“Damn, we look great,” he smiled proudly, opening the door for Baekhyun. “Come on, the adventure awaits!”