Part Six

After another week of taking pictures and working on them, Minho finally thought he had enough to rebuild his portfolio with street photographs. He had gone for a concept—pictures he had taken every hour of the day, depicting how there was something happening in the quietest of hours and there could be peace in the busiest of hours. For the first time, he had a notion of how his pictures would seem in a magazine. With the perfect words to go with it. A feel-good article that would depict the life of the city through the impressions left on the streets and make people appreciate and recognize the beauty hidden in unexpected places. Maybe, it was a bit conceited, but it made him excited and proud of his effort. Of his pictures. Probably even more than when he had taken pictures for Ahn Namhee’s magazine.

With not many VIP assignments being passed onto him, Minho had ample time to edit his portfolio pictures and had even submitted them to the photography contests Chief Do had helped him sign up to.

“Good, you’re here.” Chief Do walked into their workspace right then. Everyone was away for lunch and Minho had settled to work on his pictures and have a sandwich at his desk.

“You need me?” Minho turned around, finding Chief Do gathering his belongings in his camera bag.

“Yes. Jaewook was supposed to go with me but his lunch didn’t sit well with him. Since you are free, come with me.”

“Sure.” Minho wrapped up and started getting his equipment too.

They had packed everything in Minho’s jeep and Minho followed the navigation Chief Do had keyed in. “What’s the assignment?”

“A family portrait.”

Minho was taken aback. “A family portrait? I know it’s only VIPs who hire fashion photographers for such simple things but why are you doing it personally? You usually give these jobs to us newbies.”

“This time our VIP is not a social media couple or a rookie who needs profile pictures.”

“Who is it?” Minho couldn’t help but ask because usually Chief Do personally took up important clients or his close connections.

“Rublani. Does the name ring a bell?”

Minho knew Chief Do was joking because there was no one in the fashion industry who hadn’t heard of Rublani. But for Minho, that name meant more than just that. So when Minho had remained silent instead of going along with the joke, Chief Do looked up from the file he had been reading. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Minho managed a smile but sighed later on, “Absolutely nothing.”

Despite being prepared, Minho grew awkward when Lee Namjin walked out of his house and joined his family at the chaise lounge they had arranged in the garden for the family portrait. The guy hadn’t noticed him yet since Minho was at his desk, preparing his software because Chief Do had mentioned the family would like to see and okay the retouched pictures before they were sent for printing.

Chief Do had not only taken pictures of their family but had taken Namjin’s solo shots too, as requested by his mother. When everyone had surrounded Minho’s table to look at him editing the pictures, Minho learned why the solo shots had been taken in addition to the family portrait.

“Namjin, if you don’t introduce me to Jieun soon, these photos are going straight to a marriage agency.”

“Okay, Mother. Let’s talk about that later. I need to get going. I have an important meeting.”

“Okay, dear.”

“Good job today everyone.”

Minho only shifted his gaze away from the monitor when he saw Namjin walking away. It was hella awkward but there was something Minho had been dreading he would feel… but he hadn’t. He almost had the urge to get up and follow the man and clear the air, saying that he was wrong the way he had approached Jieun and introduced himself in a way that must have made things awkward for them. He wanted to admit his faults–his jealousy and his wrong way to approach his feelings, but then he remembered that he’d slept with Jieun when she was seeing Namjin and that immediately terminated his urge to speak and clear things with Namjin. He’d been so hellbent on winning her back that he just let things unfold the way they were when they were in his favor, but now that his jealousy and unresolved feelings for Jieun weren’t clouding his judgment, he knew he was wrong. Sure, Jieun was at fault too but Minho had no right to point fingers.

Besides, he had pulled himself out of the picture and it was best it remained that way. Saying or doing anything at this point was just unnecessary. Even Namjin had ignored the matter and was professional so Minho just let it be. Whatever it was, it was now between Jieun and Namjin.

The surrounding air was rife with chatter that was praising Namjin and Minho just focused on finishing up, listening to Chief and the Lees talk. Namjin was loved and his mother sounded