“He’s screwed.”
It was the word that Deuk-yong spat out while looking at Sol standing under the bright lights. Deuk-yong, who had a rather loud voice, caused the people in the studio to glance at him. When Ji-ho glared at him with dagger eyes, Deuk-yong hastily brought his fist to his mouth.
“Kim Deuk-yong, watch your mouth!”
“Oh... it’s DK!”
“Right. I need to watch my mouth, too.”
As Ji-ho tried to smack his forehead with his fist, he remembered his makeup and paused.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
In the end, Ji-ho and Deuk-yong both bowed and apologized to everyone around them. They also apologized to Chae Min-ju and Yeong-ho, who were filming the video behind them.
Yeong-ho, who actually agreed with Deuk-yong’s remark, could only sigh with a sorrowful face as he looked at Sol standing under the lights.
“Guys... Oh, Sol.”
With each click of the camera shutter and the photographer’s calls, new photos appeared on the large monitor. But there was a problem with all of them. Sol was frowning as if he had smelled something terrible. All the members watching Sol’s profile shoot, along with Yeong-ho and Chae Min-ju, sighed.
“This is bad. How are we supposed to get even one decent photo?”
“He’s too nervous.”
When Yeong-ho slapped his forehead with a loud smack and spoke, Ga-ram tried to explain on Sol’s behalf while observing the expressions of the staff in the studio. The photographer kept asking Sol to relax his face, but Sol stood there like a stone statue, not doing anything. He didn’t move at all, even when asked to turn his head slightly.
Seeing Sol standing still and doing nothing, looking like he was in a state of panic, Tae-oh couldn’t bear to watch any longer and whispered to Yeong-ho.
“Can we let Sol take a break and start with someone else?”
“Yeah, let’s do that, Tae-oh.”
As if he had finally come to his senses and had been waiting for it, Yeong-ho agreed with Tae-oh’s words, and Ji-ho, who had been watching the situation unfold from the side, stepped forward first. Perhaps because he had always dealt with members who knew how to handle things on their own, Yeong-ho momentarily forgot his own duties.
“I’ll go first.”
“Let me ask for permission first.”
“Okay.”
As Yeong-ho took care of Ji-ho, he approached the photographer, who was giving various instructions to Sol in a frustrated tone. Chae Min-ju, sensing that this wasn’t the time to leisurely take pictures, had also put down her camera and started a serious conversation with the photographer alongside Yeong-ho. Deuk-yong, who was standing by watching Sol, shuffled his feet nervously, which was quite contrary to his large build.
“What should we do? Sol hyung is completely frozen.”
“There are too many people.”
“The lighting is too intense, and we’re nervous too. Sol is especially nervous since it’s his first time.”
With concern written all over Ga-ram and Deuk-yong’s faces, Tae-oh put his hands on their shoulders. The three tall men all looked at Sol simultaneously. The profile shoot wasn’t about some grand concept. It was meant to be a simple profile shoot without any flashy styling or backgrounds.
The setup consisted merely of strong lighting directed at their faces in a dark shooting booth. According to the brief explanation they received before the shoot, the purpose was to showcase each individual’s pure charm, so they had decided to use searchlights to simulate discovering the members.
As soon as they arrived at the studio, Sol, who looked as if he might collapse, got out of the van unsteadily. Upon hearing that he was first in line, Tae-oh frowned to himself. Before Tae-oh could check Sol’s condition, the staff promptly led Sol to get his makeup and hair touched up and was dressed in an oversized school uniform, making him look fairly presentable in front of the camera. But this was the result.
When the lights came on and the photographer’s camera approached his face, Sol froze completely. Even Chae Min-ju’s camera was rolling simultaneously. Given that they had always filmed during weekend evaluations and had frequently recorded during practice, no one thought the camera would be an issue for Sol. The rosy makeup that brought life to his cheeks clouded Tae-oh’s judgment.
Eventually, Sol’s shoot was halted as he stood still like a doll. Although Yeong-ho kept signaling for Sol to come over while talking with the photographer, Sol remained stiffly in place, seemingly not understanding. After several repeated gestures from Yeong-ho, Ji-ho approached Sol. Only then did Sol look around nervously, like he was passing the baton, bowed slightly, and walked over to where Tae-oh, Ga-ram, and Deuk-yong were standing.
His unsteady steps seemed like he would trip and fall at any moment. Tae-oh took a step forward, anxious that he might fall flat on his face at any moment. However, Sol approached the members with a stiff expression on his face. The first thing he asked was about his profile shoot from a little while ago.
“Was I okay?”
At his question, Ga-ram and Deuk-yong exchanged glances during a brief silence.
“...Yes!”
“Of course. Didn’t I tell you that as long as you smile, it’s OK?”
Ga-ram and Deuk-yong nodded and offered reassuring words, fearing Sol would be disappointed. But Tae-oh was different.
“No.”
“No...?”
At Tae-oh’s firm answer, Sol’s eyebrows noticeably drooped. With a dejected expression, Sol glanced at Tae-oh. Tae-oh alternately looked at Sol, who was staring at him, and at Ga-ram and Deuk-yong, whose faces read ‘cold-hearted guy,’ then shook his head.
“We need to be honest. That way, Sung Sol won’t struggle as much, and it will save the staff a lot of trouble.”
At Tae-oh’s words, Sol nodded slightly and then staggered. Seeing the members’ faces and stepping away from the camera, the tension suddenly left him, and his knees weakened. Ga-ram gently supported the stumbling Sol. Moving from the shop to the studio had drained his energy further. His head was throbbing, his stomach was still upset, and the air in the sealed studio felt unbearably heavy. Sol forced an awkward smile at Tae-oh’s pointed remarks.
Tae-oh’s words were a hundred percent right. Everyone here was at work. Understanding his issues and correcting them quickly would prevent wasting everyone’s time and money. Of course, the key was whether he could fix them even if he knew what the problems were.
“Somehow, it seemed like the photographer was angry.”
“You looked uncomfortable beyond just being nervous. You kept frowning.”
“A lot...?”
“Yes... Are you having a hard time? You’re still breathing heavily.”
“I can’t tell because I’m so out of it.”
Tae-oh took a step towards Sol and placed his hand on the opposite arm that Ga-ram was holding. Sol, now held by two people on either side, shook his head vigorously. It didn’t take long to get off the van, touch up his makeup, and change clothes. People pulled him, moving frantically like frying beans in a flash of lightning, and when he looked up, a strong light had hit his face directly.
Up to that point, it was fine. He could clearly see something pitch black approaching him in that bright light. It was a camera. The camera lens was gleaming as it followed him, and from that moment, Sol couldn’t think straight. It felt like he was trapped behind a glass barrier, cut off from the world.
Seeing Sol’s expression darken, Ga-ram bent slightly to look at his face and asked, “Sol, you’re not sick, are you?”
“No... no. I’m okay.”
Seeing the warm, worried look in Ga-ram’s eyes, Sol shook his head and slightly crinkled his eyes. He could feel the concern directed at him from everyone—Deuk-yong, Ga-ram, Tae-oh, and even Ji-ho, who had switched places with him a moment ago. To break the heavy atmosphere, Sol flapped his sleeves and changed the subject.
“This shirt is too big.”
Sol flapped the sleeves of his drooping shirt and gave an awkward smile. The shirt and tie were supposed to be a ‘school uniform’, but both were bigger than his size. Sol thought to himself, who wears a school uniform like this, as he rolled up the slipping cuffs. Seeing this, Ga-ram neatly pulled down the sleeves he had rolled up, leaving only his fingertips peeking out from the cuffs.
“Hyung, that’s how you’re supposed to wear it. Loose.”
“Yeah, this is how it’s worn. It’s fashion. It’s trendy.”
“This...?”
Sol had been a one-suit man until recently. Despite looking quite trendy once dressed up, thanks to his natural good looks, Sol didn’t understand the style at all. He had a long way to go. Seeing Sol standing idly with his sleeves hanging down, Ga-ram thought for a moment and then stood beside Sol, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“Pose like this. Hands in pockets.”
“And don’t frown. Hyung, your face is a cheat code, so don’t make any expressions! Just stay expressionless!”
“Like this?”
Following Ga-ram and Deuk-yong’s advice, Sol tried to imitate the two. Seeing the members in front of him made him feel much more at ease. Just a few days ago, these people were a source of discomfort for him, but now, away from the camera and among the members, his tension eased. Life was unpredictable. As Sol was imitating Ga-ram, Tae-oh gently placed a hand on Sol’s shoulder. When Sol turned to look at Tae-oh, he was gazing at Sol with his usual expressionless face.
“If you feel uncomfortable breathing or have any pain, raise your hand and say so immediately.”
“Okay, I will.”
Sol nodded at Tae-oh’s words and turned his attention back to Ga-ram, but Tae-oh called his name again. This time, the call lingered heavily in Sol’s ears, prompting him to turn and face him directly.
“Sung Sol.”
“Yes?”
“If there’s anything we can help with or anything you find uncomfortable, make sure to tell us now. That’s the only way we can help.”
“Well... actually, I don’t understand what they’re saying.”
“Instructions?”
“Yes, I can’t quite grasp them.”
It wasn’t that the photographer was using difficult words. It was a problem that arose because Sol panicked under the camera and lights, making it hard to understand what was being said. Not understanding or hearing the instructions, he could only stand still. Tae-oh nodded, realizing the cause of Sol’s behavior. He decided that, before solving this issue, Sol needed to rest first. Sol’s chest was heaving excessively as he stood facing Tae-oh.
“First, let’s sit down.”
“There’s nowhere to sit.”
Ga-ram looked around at Tae-oh’s words and answered on Sol’s behalf.
“If we take that chair over there, it might be noticeable, right?”
Deuk-yong pointed to a plastic chair placed between Yeong-ho, Chae Min-ju, and the photographer.
Sol is such a pookie!
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