Siwon’s not sure what exactly had pushed him to suddenly kiss the back of Zhou Mi’s hand as if he was a true gentleman, but from the speechless look on the model’s face, it had been something Zhou Mi hadn’t been expecting. Siwon finishes his coffee, finding that he’s not as annoyed at his assistant for chatting with the person Siwon assumes is the café’s general manager while he’d been busy putting the second part of his plan into play.

The day drags by antagonizing slow to Siwon. He’s already placed a call to a place that he thinks the charismatic model will enjoy, specifically for the privacy that it will provide them. He makes the reservations for 8pm, and then has his house maid put out his best business casual outfit. If he’s going to infiltrate the model business through one of its star models, he’s got to look the part of a convincing suitor. A tiny part of Siwon feels bad that if things work out, he’ll be using Zhou Mi to get information on the company and find a way to get BoA to agree to partner with him.

Siwon’s finger hovers over Zhou Mi’s phone number. Privately, if Siwon allows himself to even remotely think of having a personal life outside of his business life, he knows he definitely is attracted to the model. If he wasn’t, the whole plan wouldn’t even be able to be put into motion, though it’s callous of him to think in those terms. He’s nervous suddenly, wondering if Zhou Mi knows his intentions are less than pure.

Sighing, he presses the phone’s screen and calls Zhou Mi. He’s surprised that the phone goes to voicemail after a few rings. The models smooth voice fills his hearing, the voicemail message asking him to leave a message after the beep. “Zhou Mi, its Siwon.” He says into the phone, wondering if his imagination is playing with him and he’s hearing a waver to his voice that hadn’t been there before. “I’ve made reservations at 8pm at Lee’s Garden.” He rattles off the address of the place. “Looking forward to tonight.” He hangs up the phone on that note.

Siwon busies himself in work, not daring to hope that Zhou Mi is anticipating this date as much as he is.

**

There’s something off about Zhou Mi that has Siwon intrigued. He’s not sure when he noticed it, but Siwon swears that it must have been during either their second date or maybe the third date a month after their first date that he’s taken notice that Zhou Mi commands attention whenever they are together. At first Siwon thinks it’s because Zhou Mi is used to having his wants and needs attended to by people when the model is working, but Siwon quickly learns that Zhou Mi is not one to demand things without a good reason behind them.

Siwon still doesn’t remember how he got ered into this predicament on the latest date as he’s ushered into a room with several changes of clothing and two very stern looking stylists that Siwon quickly realizes are just overprotective of Zhou Mi as they chat him up in an effort to get to know ‘Mimi’s friend’ as they put it.

“Perfect! Ok, come here, stand with your right shoulder facing the camera and put your left hand up to your mouth like you’re thinking of a kiss that completely floors you and confuses you at the same time.” The photographer is smiling as Siwon poses for the umpteenth time, wondering when Zhou Mi’s going to let him stop pretending to be a model, though secretly a part of him is enjoying the attention he’s getting from the various staffers who are gathered to see Zhou Mi’s friend trying out the modeling profession without any real experience.

Siwon’s somewhat surprised that none of the staff has realized he’s the cold-hearted business man who’s starting to fall for the charismatic model who just happens to be on a phone call the last time Siwon saw him. Siwon directs his stare at Zhou Mi’s turned back, wishing suddenly that he’d turn around for no reason at all.

As if Zhou Mi could read his thoughts, he turns around and stops as he drinks in the sight of Siwon in a dark tan leather jacket and white shirt, his hair teased and molded to be a tad bit messy but looking like someone’s run their fingers through his hair. The sudden smoldering look that Zhou Mi directs at Siwon makes his knees go weak.

Siwon blinks, his hand caressing his own lips that suddenly want to be kissing Zhou Mi somewhere private, and preferably soundproof. A flash suddenly whites out his vision as the photographer is clicking madly away at his camera. “Perfect! Don’t move! Oh this is great, you are such a natural! Mimi where did you find this guy?”

Zhou Mi grins, his eyes crinkling. “Oh, my favorite coffee shop. You know, the one my friend Yesung helps manage.”

The photographers’ apparently satisfied with the pictures as he waves at Siwon in a dismissing manner. “Oh really? I’ve been meaning to give BoA a call about Yesung. We’ve got a line….” The photographers’ voice fades from Siwon’s hearing as he steps into the changing room, already loosening the tie that he can feel is a tad bit too tight.

“Good news! Mimi’s done with his phone call, so you’re off the hook for being the stand in.” She says as if he hadn’t seen Zhou Mi talking with the photographer. The hair stylist smiled at Siwon as she comes over to help him get the tie off.

“Oh good.” Siwon’s glad to have the suit off and back in his normal clothes after getting his hair washed, styled and dried by the stylist in apology for having to put him through 3 hours’ worth of clothing changes. He walks out to the shoot room to see Zhou Mi doing his job, posing for the camera, having already changed into an outfit.

The shoot goes on for another hour and a half before the photographers’ plethora of batteries for his cameras finally dies out as he’s got Zhou Mi in a look that screams geeky hot fashion junkie with fake glasses and his hair carefully arranged in way that coils a sudden desire in Siwon to drag the model to that privately soundproofed room he’d imagined earlier. He still hasn’t learned much about the connection between BoA and Zhou Mi as he plays the dutiful suitor to the tall model, but it’s only the first month they’ve been dating. Siwon usually uses or money at this point to get the information he wants out of others, but with Zhou Mi, he’s taking it much slower than he’d originally anticipated, not that he wants it slow.

Siwon’s been under the impression that most male models who are gay are also well kept s, not much different than most of the top female models in Seoul that Siwon’s dealt with before in his business schemes other than the gender. He’s curious to see how long Zhou Mi can keep up the nice boy-not-a- act, and what Zhou Mi will be like sprawled out underneath Siwon’s body. Siwon shakes himself slightly as Zhou Mi’s bowing to the staff, thanking them for their hard work. Siwon can’t afford to be distracted just by the thought of alone. Callously he decides that tonight he’s going to try and take things much further than shy touches and near kisses. Siwon’s tired of playing nice.

Zhou Mi’s glad when the photographer calls the shoot, apologizing to everyone that he’d apparently not brought enough cameras to ensure the shoot would be finished on time, though Zhou Mi suspects the photographer really had worn out the batteries taking a zillion pictures of Siwon. Zhou Mi’s already been promised that the pictures will be send to the agency to be stored in case of an emergency. Zhou Mi doesn’t want to think of what an emergency would detail for the Pack to unleash those photos to the public. Right now all he can think of is Siwon and how his mate’s scent had shifted from bored, to curious, to annoyed at being in front of the camera and then slightly excited to sudden smoldering desire.

Zhou Mi’s been patient the past month with Siwon wanting to keep things low key and private between them. Niqui’s already grumbling in the back of his mind about how the human seems to be ashamed of wanting to be close to them as he’s only given Zhou Mi a chaste kiss on the cheek and a hug. He wants, no, needs to know if Siwon really is interested in him romantically or not.

“So, dinner at my place?” Zhou Mi smiles at Siwon as he comes out dressed in his own clothes, though the hair style is still the same from the last clothing set.

Siwon’s mesmerized by the way Zhou Mi’s hair falls slightly over one eye as he nods slowly.

The ride back to Zhou Mi’s rented home, courtesy of the Pack though he’s not going to tell Siwon that, is quiet. Siwon finds that he’s more tired than he thought. Who knew modeling was hard work? He’s going to have to give his own models some much deserved gifts for the hard work they’ve done for his businesses.

Dinner is a quiet affair, which suits Siwon just fine, though he drinks a bit more than he usually lets himself. “This is a wonderful vintage. How and where did you get a hold of it?” Siwon asks, swirling the wine in the glass slowly.

Zhou Mi gives Siwon a smile. “Ah, one of my distant cousins happens to own a winery so I get some of the best of his batches when I wish it. This is his prime vintage from a few years ago when he experimented with a strain of grapes.” Zhou Mi is more than happy to refill Siwon’s glass, hoping that it will free Siwon from his rigidness.

They’re sitting out in the back yard of the house, casually perched together on the porch swing, thighs touching comfortably. Niqui purrs at the contact, which in turn relaxes Zhou Mi. “I have to ask, how can you stand doing modeling for that guy?” Siwon’s not shy in voicing his displeasure of the photographer as he sets down his glass of wine to look directly at Zhou Mi.

Zhou Mi frowns. “It’s part of the job, honestly. I don’t like him, but don’t not like him, if that makes sense. I just get told who I’m modeling for, and what season of clothing will be there.” Zhou Mi looks over at Siwon, whose eyes are starting to glaze over a little from a bit too much wine. “Won, I think….”

Zhou Mi’s sentence is cut off as he suddenly finds Siwon’s lips on his own, the taste of the wine still on them, adding an element that Zhou Mi can’t identify as he can feel the underlining desire to claim his mate as his own starts to rise to the surface. Zhou Mi’s been restraining himself severely in order not to accidentally claim his mate before the Elder’s permission is obtained. They still want to make sure the businessman doesn’t have any lingering obsession with the modeling agency before giving the feline shifter their blessings of the union.

If there’s one thing that’s fundamentally different between canine and feline shifters, it’s definitely in how each type of shifter lays claim to their mates. While canine shifters are quick to lay claim to their mates through ual dominance, feline shifters usually take a longer time before they make their claims. It has something to do with how felines want their mates to be sure that they want the connection and bond that lasts for the rest of their lives. A hot bolt of desire shoots through Zhou Mi as he lets Siwon lead the kiss, smelling the spike of desire on his mate.

Siwon pulls away, and Zhou Mi’s left gasping at the lack of contact until he’s tugged up from the swing. “Taste good.” Siwon mumbles as he lowers his head and kisses Zhou Mi again, pressing him close.