“Who did this to you?” Jinyoung asked, his voice laced with concern as he the bruise upon your neck. You glanced up at the man, his expression smug as he continued to examine his handiwork. “They should have done a better job.”

“I’m pretty sure they did. Thankfully in other areas that I can hide more discreetly,” you answered with a strained smile, Jinyoung pouting excessively at you. “Don’t, peaches. I don’t need any more distractions from you and your handsome face today.”

“You act as if I’m holding you back from working,” he said coyly, and you snapped your focus up to his exasperatedly. “We came into the office early. It made sense to use that time to have breakfast.”

“You’re insufferable,” you claimed, trying to hide the smile spreading across your lips.

The truth was that you were becoming too accustomed to Park Jinyoung and his charms. Sure, you still had your fair share of arguments. You weren’t ever going to be rid of them. But for all the inconveniences he still created in your world, Jinyoung was becoming an expert on knowing how to placate you all too easily.

You had your own growing list of ways to win him over these days too.

Right now, however, you needed to focus on finding the right model for your clothing range. The one you had lined up that would fit the size you had made all your samples within, had dropped you last minute, and the stress was mounting. You needed to photograph your clothing range this week.

Massaging your shoulders gently, Jinyoung sighed. “Just do it yourself. You’ve been basing the measurements as you altered them off your shape.”

“I’m a designer, not a model.”

“You make clothes to create a statement, right?” he asked, and you looked away from your laptop’s screen and up at him curiously. “That’s why you’ve spent all this time working on this fashion line, right?”

“I’m trying to offer the real shapes of women a chance to wear what everyone they see on social media is in a flattering way. Every size should feel beautiful in their clothes.”

“What’s more real than your own body?”

You rolled your eyes and leaned into peck his lips with light gratitude. “You’re not helping, peaches.”

“You need to get these photos done, right? So, you have a photographer who’s ready to shoot now.”

“I can’t. Even if we hired a makeup artist today, this industry relies on the faces of models in all shapes and sizes who know how to work their bodies to create the right look. I’m not trained to do that.”

“You’ve shown me your plans, heck you’ve even spoken in detail to me about how you want to convey these outfits. Let me guide you.”

You stared at Jinyoung, his persistent gaze wearing away your doubts. “Isn’t it a bit pretentious to submit my clothing range with me in the outfits to my investors?”

“Who will be better to bring this to life than the one who envisioned it all? Trust in me, okay?”

Biting your bottom lip, you reached for your phone, searching through your contacts before pressing call on one. You watched Jinyoung’s encouraging expression as the call connected. “Hey, Daynah. Are you free to do some makeup work in the next hour?”

“That’s it, now hold that pose,” Jinyoung instructed, crouching down and taking a couple of snaps. You moved when he looked at his camera, waiting for the next instruction. After four more different poses, Jinyoung gestured for an outfit change.

“Babe,” you called out from the bathroom and got no response, sticking your head out of the door. Jinyoung was already staring your way. “Didn’t you hear me?”

You could tell from the way he was eyeing you now that he had definitely heard you. Which confused you as to why he didn’t respond. Scrunching your face up in annoyance, you beckoned him over. “Why did you ignore me?”

“Say it again.”

“Huh?”

Jinyoung moistened his lips. “You didn’t call me that godforsaken nickname for once.”

Thinking back to what you had said, you blinked a few times. “Seriously? That did something for you?”

“Say it again.”

“Jesus, Jinyoung, I just need you to drop the zipper so I can get into the final outfit. We’re going to lose lighting soon.”

“So, the set will turn sensual. We left that midi dress for last for a reason, baby.”

“Now you’re just playing with fire,” you announced, and Jinyoung chuckled huskily, sidling up to you and spun you around gently. He undid the zip, his fingertips dancing across the bare skin along your back. You shivered at his touch and threw a look over your shoulder. “I have makeup on. Sensual set or not, let’s be professional until the end, Jinyoung. I can’t afford to need a touch up for the last outfit.”

“Always a temptress even when you aren’t aware of it,” he grumbled, stepping back so you could shut the door.

He was back to expected professional conduct once you stepped out in your final outfit and continued to be so until he snapped the last photo. “That’s a wrap.”

“Thank goodness,” you sighed, walking over to his side, and peering at the screen his camera had been attached to. “Do you think we got everything?”

“I’m no amateur. I’ve shot a few fashion pictorials before.”

“I know I can trust in you, but I am concerned I didn’t show the outfits well enough.”

“If everyone’s going to look as stunning as you have in this range, then the world is in for some major problems,” Jinyoung expressed, his lips before eying you up. “Don’t you dare change out of that dress. I have every intention of hanging it up on my bedroom floor tonight.”

“Bold of you to assume you could last long enough to make it to your bedroom before you start taking me out of my clothes,” you bit back, and Jinyoung chuckled, leaning in to kiss you. What started as a simple kiss transcended into something deeper, breathtaking.

And then you heard someone clap behind you.

Tearing away from Jinyoung’s heated embrace, you gasped when you saw Mr Morris, your landlord, standing there.

“See? We had nothing to worry about with you both sharing the space,” he announced jovially, and you cringed at being caught in the act.

Jinyoung slung an arm around your shoulders and grinned. “We get along exceptionally well now.”

“I bet you do,” the older man said with another laugh as you elbowed Jinyoung and his smugness away.

“Sorry. How can we help you, Mr Morris?”

“I’ve been away for the last month and just wanted to let you know that our agreement is outdated and needs to be rectified. I mean, I have some suspicions already, but are we both willing to resign the lease together?”

Glancing at Jinyoung, he smiled appreciatively at you before nodding in answer. “We’ll take out the two-year contract together.”

“Excellent to hear. Well, my secretary will draw up the contract tomorrow and schedule a time this week to sign it in my office.”

“That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Mr Morris.”

He nodded, rocking on his heels. “You know, I should have told you about this place when you first moved in.”

“What did you not divulge?” Jinyoung asked, looking at you again before frowning. “It’s had no issues for us so far, right, Y/N?”

You nodded, and Mr Morris chuckled. “Oh, it’s nothing bad. You see, I never used to own this building when I first used the space.”

“Ah, so it’s very special to you,” you guessed, and Mr Morris nodded. “It’s special to us too. We’ve both got a spot to grow our businesses in.”

“And something else too,” Jinyoung murmured under his breath, and you shot him a warning look.

Mr Morris grinned. “When I first saw this space, I knew it would work for my art studio. I could imagine how productive I was going to be within these walls. But just as I went to sign the lease, someone else beat me to it.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope, young man, I’m not. Except it was the other way round. So, I was given the option to pass it by or share it with a lady who I had no interest in getting to know. It was a tough decision, but I was already in love with the lighting coming through those big old windows there. So, we shared it.”

“Is that why you offered it to us in the same way? Did you share for long?” you wondered, and Mr Morris looked around himself, no doubt imagining a very different setup than what was currently in the room.

“I found Molly tiring at best. We fought day in and out. She was logical about everything, and I was too much of a dreamer to agree with her on much.”

“I feel like he’s about to tell us they dated,” Jinyoung mentioned to you, and Mr Morris grinned.

“After thirty-five years of marriage together, I’m sure glad this space has seen the beginning of another couple,” he stated, and you gaped at the knowledge, the romantic in you swooning.

“That’s so beautiful!”

“I don’t think I want thirty-five years with you, though,” Jinyoung added, and you grumbled at his playfulness.

“I’ll leave you to enjoy your night. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll buy this building when you’re a married couple from me and pass it on to the next generation of fated lovers?” he said, waving you both off as he headed out the door.

You sank into Jinyoung’s side, wrapping your arms around him before looking at him. “How lucky are Mr Morris and his wife? What a love story.”

“Don’t go assuming we’ll have the same fate, sugar.”

You rolled your eyes. “Of course not. I chose to fall for someone as annoying as you are. Besides, it’s only four months into sharing this space with you. I have two whole years left to make up my mind if you’re actually worth my time.”

“I’m offended,” Jinyoung replied, scrunching his face up. “You won’t need even six months more to know we’re going to have a lifetime together.”

“What makes you so confident to believe in that?” you shot back, laughing as you loosened your grip on your boyfriend and went to step back. Jinyoung took a hold of you instead, sending one of his dazzling smiles your way. You groaned. “Don’t attempt to woo me with that pretty little face of yours.”

“Should I use other parts of my body instead?” he teased.

“One day I’m going to grow sick of you physically.”

“Is that so?”

“Absolutely,” you confirmed, stretching up to kiss his lips all the same. When you pulled back, you smirked. “That day isn’t today, thankfully.”

“I’m relieved. And when you finally do get sick of all of this, by then I ought to have you hooked on my personality too.”

“I hated your personality for years,” you pointed out with a laugh, and Jinyoung shrugged.

“I doubt you knew the real me then.”

“I probably still don’t.”

Jinyoung nodded. “There’s so much to learn about one another. But there’s one thing we can both agree on.”

“Which is?”

“It’s always going to be you for me, sugar.”

“I don’t know about that,” you teased, trying to hide your elation.

Jinyoung grinned wickedly, as if he had thought of something clever. “Don’t underestimate me, Y/N. I’m not the kind of opponent you’ll like to have.”

Remembering back to the first time he had told you that, you laughed, trying to remember what you replied with. “I guess I’ll just have to find that out for myself. I’m going to make you my lifelong partner, no matter what it takes.”

“May we both win this game then,” he murmured before capturing your lips with his.