“Onew-ssi,” I squeaked. The normally gentle leader stood by the closing elevator doors with an indescribable look in his eyes. It wasn’t a happy emotion. That I know for sure.

“Hyung,” Minho backed away from me. “Why are you here? I said I’d take Ami-ssi up.”

Onew turned his sharp stare on the rapper before looking at me with softer eyes. “You forgot your jacket jagiya.”

“T-thank you Onew,” I took the jacket from him shyly. Minho put his hand on my shoulder, but his gaze was directed towards his hyung.

“Don’t call her that,” he said. “Let’s go Ami.” He guided me in the opposite direction of his leader.

“What’s jagiya, Minho?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it.” He said firmly. “Just don’t pay attention to hyung.”

“You seem angry with Onew.” I clicked my tongue absently.

“I’m not,” Minho sighed. “Just don’t ask what’s going on between us, alright?”

I nodded slowly. “Why did you really help me?”

“I told you, because Siwon hyung asked me to.”

“Why did Siwon ask you to help me?” I quirked a brow.

Minho laughed, “Do you not see it?” I gave him a blank stare, not knowing what he meant by “it”.

He shook his head, “forget what I said.”

We stopped by Nari’s apartment and I smiled at Minho. “I know we were off to a rocky start but…thank you for helping me.” I squeezed his hand.

He turned away, “it was nothing. Thank Siwon hyung or something. I didn’t do anything.” And with that he stalked off. I stared confused at his retreating figure before entering the apartment.

The next few days at training have been strange. Amber and I would watch Shinee practise Lucifer but their group dynamic was…off. Or something. I wasn’t quite sure, but they didn’t work as fluidly together as they did when I first saw them.

The choreographers felt the same. Rino Nakasone and Sim Jae Won scolded the boys over and over because they screwed up so much.

I finally asked Amber what jagiya meant. She just laughed and shook her head like I was a child who asked a dumb question.

Quite frankly, that’s how I felt.

I had also seen neither hide nor hair of any Super Junior member. I tried to convince myself that they were busy, but after yesterday where I saw Leeteuk drag Donghae in the opposite direction I was walking, I got suspicious. That damn leader’s up to something.

“Kwan, you’re up. Show this guy what you can do.” The modelling coach told me. I was in a class of 6 girls and 5 guys. There weren’t a lot of people who got into SM for modelling.

“I’m sorry, who’s that guy?” I whisper to the girl next to me.

“He’s a scout for a brand I think.” She answered.

Oh , for real? I breathed in slowly. It was time to show my best walk yet.

I strut up our practise runway with as much grace and elegance as I could muster. From the corner of my eye I could see the coach nod in approval.

I posed three times at the end of the run way, giving the scout a smoldering stare, my eyes narrowing slightly in a smile.

He clapped as I walked back. My heart was beating tenfold with nerves. I saw one of the male model trainees give an encouraging thumbs up and I grinned when I stepped off the runway.

“Nice job,” he said. I looked away shyly.

“Thank you.”

“Wonderful, wonderful! She would definitely do nicely with the other one, don’t you think Coach Shim?” The scout wiggled his eyebrows strangely at the coach. I thought the man was the oddest thing. He was like those eccentric fashion designers you see in comedy movies.

The coach looked taken aback, “I-I’m not sure their chemistry would work so well with eacho—”

“Shut up for a minute,” the scout held up his hand. “I think they would do fabulous together and I want them both in the shoot. Is he still waiting outside? Bring him in. I want to see them together.”

Coach Shim sighed and opened the practise room door to let in a tall, structured man.

My breath hitched in my throat as I saw who it was. “S-Siwon?”

“Oh good, you know each other!” The scout clapped. “This will be gorgeous.”

“What will be gorgeous?” Siwon asked, walking up to us and unconsciously posing in all of his hunky glory.

I didn’t say that.

“I am a representative of the clothing line created by Georgio Armani. I’m sure you’ve heard of it,” the scout said. “I’ve come here today to ask Siwon-ssi here to endorse the brand for us. And for the first photo campaign, I want the young lady here, uh, Miss…”

“Ami Kwan,” Coach Shim informed.

“Ah yes, I want Miss Kwan here to be your partner in the shoots!”

Siwon was quiet for a minute. His eyes darted towards Coach Shim, hesitancy in his eyes. The coach nodded with reluctant approval. “Okay, pleasure to be working for you, sir.”

The scout smiled widely, “and you Miss Kwan?”

This could be my big break! I nodded excitedly, “of course!”

“Excellent!” He clapped. “I’ll be taking Coach Shim with me to make a dealing with your higher ups. I’ll be sure to inform you of the schedule if all goes well!” The outgoing man sauntered out of the room with the coach on his heels. Siwon smiled at me, squeezed my shoulder reassuringly and followed them.

“Nice job there Kwan. Didn’t think you had it in you,” the male trainee from earlier slapped my back, Yongjung.

“Thanks,” I whispered. Would the company approve? After all, I’ve been given specific instructions not to be seen with neither Siwon nor Minho and this Armani campaign would break this rule 20 times over.

We began to pack up because it was apparent class had ended. I heard two female trainees whispering. “What does she have that made the scout like her so much? Her poses were boring and her walk was unsteady. And she’ll look terrible in the shoot. Her skin is too dark and her eyes are too sharp. She doesn’t look at all delicate, like a lady should. She’s not a swan, she’s a tiger. It’s not cute and it’s not beautiful, it’s just weird. The public won’t like it.”

“I guess Armani’s sales are going to go under this year,” the other girl laughed.

“But I don’t want that to happen to Siwon oppa because she has to be so strange looking.”

Oh hell to the no.

She did not just say that. I gave them murderous glares through the reflection in the mirror. They ceased talking and scurried out of the room, away from the lethal daggers I was visually shooting at them.

“Don’t worry about them,” Yongjung said. “I mean, who’s the one who got the gig? You did.”

“Exactly,” I muttered, heaving my bag over my shoulder. “I’ll show ‘em what real beauty is.”

I’ll show them that a fierce tigress can be just as beautiful and elegant, if not more so than, a swan. I’ll show them that beauty isn’t ignorant and close-minded.

I smirked, I liked the challenge. Bring it on.

Phew! There, updated because a friend of mine began to read this and she really like it. SO YEAH.

Also, HUGE shout out to ppeach2 for sticking by this story. You're an amazing reader.

Did you all think it was Siwon that caught Minho? Lol, yeah no.

I'd rather split up the band rather than the friendship between two bands.

WhatIdidn'tsaythat.

Also, I've been working on a new story, which is partially the reason I have been lagging. It's an EXO story. BUT IT'S GOT SO ALL YOU INNOCENT PEOPLE TURN AWAY RIGHT NOW. The main Exo members are Kris with Suho and Baekhyun.

Shameless promotion. Click the poster to be redirected.

Thanks for reading!

-Lilmisschique