café

@☑️ chanyeol "I'll just get a personal driver next time, I guess," Shixun said and sighed softly. He didn't expect Seoul traffic to be this bad, but since it was there was no use trying to save money. It wasn't like his parents were not willing to cover all his expenses, but he did feel a bit bad for still being unable to finance his own lifestyle. Sure, he won a few photography competitions here and there, and there were some freelance jobs as well, but it was not a regular income - it was more like pocket money.

"Sorry for rushing you," Shixun apologized when he saw the confused look on the other's face. "But we've got several locations to go to and since it's outdoors shot, we gotta do this before the sun sets."

He turned around to give the other enough privacy to change into a prepared set of clothes, and only when Chanyeol asked for his opinion, he turned around to scan the other from head to toe, giving him an approving nod. "You need a bag, too, though, or a backpack to complete the outfit. Once you're done choosing, let's move outside for the actual photoshooting."

@☑️ Shixun He smiled, nodding his head as he hopped out of the car, running his hands through his hair. "I've had a lot of practice and a lot of minor accidents, you learn the way of road that way. At least I did, try not to get into any accidents because then you have to do all this paperwork and pay all these bills." He frowned and closed the door, Shixun's face had changed a little after he called him cute, he shrugged it off. He'd just not call him cute for the reminder of the time.

He grimaced as he was rushed to the van, he understood that Shixun was in a hurry- at least he guessed he was- he might not be, but then why was he being rushed? Chanyeol refused to dwell on this, he barely gets to speak to people unless they were yelling at him to hurry up, or making him finish quicker, or asking about those horrid lessons he had.

"Whatever clothes I want?" He went into the van, bending down and took off his coat, revealing a band He looked down at himself, he was way skinnier than he last remembered. He poked his thigh and frowned.

He reached for a pair of black jeans that were cuffed at the bottom, revealing a bit of gray on the ends and a white shirt with a blue graphic design on the front. He reached for black shoes and a pair of sunglasses. "Is this good?" He bit his lip, unsure of his thoughts. "It's your decision in the end."

@chanyeol Shixun was grateful for the other's offer to drive them around, but he surely didn't appreciate being called cute. In his opinion, he grew out of that. It had been a long time since someone last called him cute. He was tall, handsome, and rather than cute, he was full of masculine appeal. He didn't dwell on that though, quickly catching the other's change in tone when he talked about following one's dreams. Just by that hint Shixun knew the other wasn't so lucky with supportive parents or chances, like Shixun, so he just nodded and kept quiet. It wasn't his business, so he wouldn't prod. They weren't friends yet.

"Wow, you're a good driver," Shixun complimented and hopped out of the car, now fully motivated since they've reached their first location.

"Come on, hurry up," he said and ushered the other to the back of the van. Opening the door, there were several clothing racks with outfits, as well as a huge box with accessories and props, right next to Shixun's equipment.

"I want you to choose whichever clothes you feel comfortable wearing," he quickly explained and reminded the other of the theme. "It's street fashion after all, so I will rely on your fashion sense? Though if you need help, of course I will assist. I have a good sense of fashion I think."

@☑️ Shixun He sighed as he sat in the drivers seat, grabbing his phone and setting the GPS to the locations they needed to go before putting his hands on the wheel. He liked Seoul traffic at times, people go rather quickly so he's almost never late for a client.

He nods at his explanation. "Cute, you must be very rich then." He chewed on his lip, making a sharp turn and bracing himself with his elbow. He thought about Shixun's mother, he wanted that kind of relationship with his mother, his face fell and he took another sharp turn, speeding up a little. "It's good that you got to follow your dreams. You don't get these opportunities very often-" He stops himself before he rambles on and then eventually rants.

"We should be there..right about now." He turned another corner and parked in a parallel spot, paying for it quickly and exiting the van. He looked over at the palace, they'd have to walk over there since there were no spaces, but he assumed it was fine. "So, Shixun, what should I wear first?"

@chanyeol Unlike Chanyeol, Shixun didn't cuss. For a fragment of a second, he thought the end was nearing, but after the initial shock, he recovered fast enough to not get them into an accident. He was still shaking inwardly though, so he took Chanyeol up on his offer and parallel parked - a not too difficult task when he found a spacious spot to do so.

"This is the first and last day ever that I'll drive in Seoul," Shixun muttered. He could tell by the other's worried expression that he must look pale like a ghost now, paler than he actually was. He didn't allow them too much time to rest though and quickly unbuckled his seat belt. They quickly switched seats then, and once Shixun felt comfortable enough, he started to reply to Chanyeol's earlier question.

"My mom used to model so I grew up being her personal photographer," he explained, a fond smile on his lips when he thought about precious childhood memories. It was thanks to his mother's early training that he had been able to become a decent photographer. "I grew up loving to take pictures, so that's why I'm studying photography."

@Hun He nodded his head, "I guess you're new to Seoul. You can pull over by the sidewalk over there and we can switch seats." He smiled at him and waited for him to parallel park. "You can parallel park right? There are a lot of cars over there so the squeeze might be tight." He looks worryingly at the kid. He remembered first driving in Seoul, it is plenty scary.

He looked out the window and winced as a car drove way too close. "Holy f-uhm. You'll have to get used to more people like them." He turned to look at the male, waiting for him to park so they could quickly switch.

@chanyeol "Do you want to drive?" Sehun asked back first. He didn't think he could focus on both keeping up a conversation and driving, considering how scared he was of getting into a traffic accident here. It would be perfect if the other had a driving license and they could change seats. It didn't matter who was the driver here, as long as they got to the places they needed to go.

"I'm just... maybe a bit scared of Seoul traffic." And just when he said that, he almost flinched when a car sped up and drove past them but was too close, just a bit more and they might have to go to hospital instead.

@Hun He nodded at the explanation. "You sound like a professional, is there a reason why you wanted to become a photographer?" He hoped his questions weren't making the kid too awkward. His eyes roamed over his body and he smiled, he didn't show those signs, he did seem a bit nervous though, and he was driving painstakingly slow. He wondered if it was the questions or just the streets.

"You look a little nervous. You okay? If my questions are making you uncomfortable, just tell me." He looked down and started to fiddle with his thumbs.

@chanyeol "We're free to choose locations," Shixun explained and the navigation system, typing in their destination before he started the engine. "I thought it would be cooler to do this outdoors, rather than inside, so that's why I chose different locations. I wanted to try street fashion because I've mainly been doing the editorial kinds of photoshootings so far. The ones you'd see in fashion magazines."

His eyes stayed on the streets as he spoke. If he was honest, he was still a bit scared of traffic in Seoul, especially during rush hour, so he drove as carefully as he could.

@Hun "Ah, let me see." He leaned over and looked at Shixun's phone, checking out the locations that he would have to go today. He smiled, he hadn't gone to these places in years, probably since he was twelve. A smile stretched across his face "Well let's go?"

He excitedly followed Shixun to his car, his smile not disappearing, plopping himself down in his van and buckled his seatbelt, "Interesting, ah, those are places with a lot of heritage and importance, is your school project about taking pictures at those types of places? Or did you just want to?" He quirked an eyebrow up at him, particularly interested.

@chanyeol "Oh, I can show you the plan," Shixun said with a wide grin. He opened his phone and showed Chanyeol the list of locations they would try today. "Obviously, we don't have so much time, so we'll just take a few snapshots in the different places and then hope for the best. Taking pictures once it gets a little dark won't bring good results for outdoor fashion photography."

Shixun lead the way to the van and got into the driver's seat. He waited for Chanyeol to hop on board before he fastened the seatbelt and started the engine. "First stop is Gwanghwamun area. We'll try to get a few pictures there and in front of the Royal Palaces, then move to the Hanok village that is close there."

@Hun "Right, of course. Transportation is important for...photographers." Chanyeol had no idea since he's not aware of what photographers do besides take photos in different locations and such He assumed they edited the photos if they couldn't afford a real editor. Chanyeol was a bit wary about this whole situation, since the mention of a van always seemed a bit...strange to him.

"I guess I could fit in your clothes." He followed Shixun to the door and outside, listening to him say something about clothes and a theatre club stopping in his tracks as he winked at him. "If you say so Shixun. Where to first?" He said, ready to get this started.

@chanyeol "Of course, it's easier to get from one place to the other like that," Shixun said and shrugged, not really thinking that it was special. Of course, most students wouldn't go to these extremes, but Shixun was a rich kid. He could afford some more comfort and luxury than others, and he preferred best work conditions after all. Having a van he could transport wardrobe, accessories, makeup and his equipment easily.

"He's about my height," Shixun said and started walking to the door, leading the way outside. "So a little shorter than you? I think you'd fit in my clothes, so you'll fit in those clothes as well. I got them from the theater club."

"And don't worry," he turned around and gave Chanyeol a wink. "If I can afford renting a van, I can surely afford buying you dinner, too."

@Hun "You rented a van...for this? Well, 'A' plus for preparation." Chanyeol seriously wasn't expecting him to rent a van for this, he wasn't sure why he needed a van for a photoshoot. He stared at Shixun once he started looking and quirked an eyebrow. "Your friend's clothes should be able to fit. How tall is he?"

His ears perked up at the mention of dinner, his lips before frowning a tiny bit. "I'm free but are you sure you want to buy dinner? Aren't you still a student? I should probably pay." He had a lot of money on a emergency credit card. It was under his parent's name, so he'd be okay with spending a lot on dinner.

@Hun (yes of course!!! I'll just reply there instead ^~^)

@jongdae ( we could move to the restaurant? )

@Hun (I was about to reply but noticed you also have a plot with chanyeol here-
do you want me to reply somewhere instead so you don't lose track of replies or- ;;)

@chanyeol "Actually, I rented a van just for this," Shixun said with a grin. "I came prepared, though I'm not too sure if you will fit into those clothes. You seem taller than my friend, though you both have a similar build." At that, he let his eyes wander over Chanyeol's form, not minding that it might come across as rude to ogle the other like that. When his eyes moved up to meet Chanyeol's again, he smiled.

"So if you're free right now we can start right away," he said and got up. "And I'll buy you dinner as thanks later, too."

@Hun Chanyeol nodded his head, and pulled a small smile. "Ah, alright. Thank you for the..compliment?" Chanyeol wasn't sure 'perfect stature and face for modeling' was to be taken as a compliment, be he just went with it. Shixun seemed nice enough, he clasped his hand and lightly shook it before taking another sip of the hot chocolaye.

"So Shixun, where to first? And where are you going to get new clothes?" Chanyeol guesses that tattered jeans and a white shirt with bland sneakers were not an ideal modeling outfit for this.

@chanyeol It was easier than expected. Shixun wouldn't think Chanyeol would give in so easily since they were strangers, not even acquaintances. He thanked his mother's good genes for that though, believing, that it was his charming smile and his pretty face that convinced the other to work with him. Everyone liked working with someone who was nice to look at, right? At least, that's how it was like for Shixun.

"I'll just put you in different clothes and then we'll have to head to different locations to take pictures. Don't worry, modelling is easy," the boy reassured, a beam in his eyes. "You've got the perfect stature and face for modelling. A nice body is hard to achieved, modelling in itself can be learned."

"Oh, and my name is Wu Shixun," he added and held his hand out for a handshake.

@Hun Chanyeol stared at the other, taking a sip of his hot chocolate before sighing, the guy was just desperate for a model, wasn't he? He'd never modeled before in his life, why does he think he'd be any good at it anyway? Chanyeol was tall and lanky, he felt his limbs were awkward, he wasn't comfortable in his own body.

For some reason, he did really want to do it. It seemed exciting to try something new, he hadn't done much of anything for a while and he supposed that it would be a nice break from his usual work, which consisted of sitting on his writing down notes and pressing keys on a piano-or 'black and white buttons' as his mother called it.

"Alright then, I'll help you out, what would I have to do? I'm not exactly experienced in the ways of a model. I barely take photos of myself anymore." He explained bluntly, not wanting to make it too complicated or make it sound like he was mocking the kid. "You don't even know my name, and I don't know yours. It's Chanyeol, by the way."

@chanyeol It only further boosted his confidence when the other understood him despite the accent - or maybe his accent had gotten less noticeable by now? - and Shixun quickly sat down next to the handsome male. He didn't hide his interest in the other as he purposefully sat close, upper body turning towards the stranger.

'Not one to beat around the bush, huh', he thought to himself when the other spoke up, but didn't let his surprise show on his face. It wasn't necessarily bad to be asked so bluntly. That just meant that Shixun could simply speak out what he had in mind without having to figure out how to say it to get the best possible outcome.

"You're handsome, so I was wondering if you could help me out? My friend ditched me so I don't have a model for my current photography project for class," he explained shortly, eyes trained onto the stranger's face.

@Hun (sorry for the late reply ^-^)

Chanyeol stared at the young male smiling sweetly at him. He was rather tall, he had a bright smile, in his opinion, he was pretty handsome. "Ah, yeah sure." Chanyeol then leaned back against his seat and and stared at him suspiciously, he doesn't usually get random males coming to his table asking to sit with him. Then again, Chanyeol didn't really get out that often, even so, he doubts people would come up to him like that for no reason.

"Is there a reason why you want to sit with me?" Chanyeol couldn't help his cynicality, people don't just do that for no reason, do they? He bit his lip and stared into the other man's eyes, his expression darkening. He shudders at the idea of someone attempting to flirt with him, because he couldn't flirt back. Chanyeol took another bite out of his protein box and crosses his arms across his chest.

@jongdae Shixun is exhausted. It's not so much the classes that had been tiring today, on his first day at university, but rather, the people that have been bugging him. For some reason, people kept mistaking him for someone else, someone named Sehun?

That Sehun dude must be popular in school to have a lot of people greeting and smiling at him like that, but honestly, Shixun could do without that much attention. He's had enough of that in his whole life, and rather than being the one in the spotlight all the time, he wants to be the one to find new beauties to put in the limelight. That's why he chose to be a photographer, not a model.

It's needless to say that Shixun thinks he deserves a sweet treat after being bugged by so many strangers within a short time frame, so he goes to the one coffee shop near campus that is said to make the best bubble tea in the area for a pretty good price. Hopefully he won't be bothered by more people, considering how close this is to his university, because he swears, if another person comes up to him and calls him Sehun he will-

"Sehunnie."

Of course this would happen. He just jinxed it.

@chanyeol Shixun kept his eyes solely on the male customer who was still standing in line, watching as the male tapped away on his phone while waiting for his order. A busy one, Shixun thought to himself, worried that the stranger might not agree to help him out. It would be a pity, especially since that male was rather handsome. One glimpse at that face and Shixun had decided that yes, he definitely needed that model in his portfolio. It didn't even matter if his model had no experiences or talent in modeling. Posing wasn't that difficult if one had a nice body and a pretty face to that.

And so Shixun quickly got up and made his way over to that man, his drink in one hand and his phone in the other. Other people might think of him as shameless, but Shixun would beg to differ. There was a difference between shamelessness and confidence, and he was definitely full of the latter. He knew when it was a lost cause and when he had to retreat, but so far, he hadn't even taken the first step yes.

"Hello, can I sit here?" He asked once he stood by the empty chair right next to the male, a sweet smile on his face.

@Hun Chanyeol was on his phone standing outside the café talking on the phone with his current client about the deadline for his song for this certain episode of an animated episode, one of his piano keys were broken and he had to get it fixed before he can clean up the last draft of his song. He couldn't lose another client, he was already falling behind on his rent and it's not like he got paid that much per client. The client had agreed to give him a week more and Chanyeol felt accomplished with his life. It's pretty lame, to feel accomplished with your life about sweet-talking a client into giving you more time, but Chanyeol doesn't get to feel accomplished that often.

He allowed himself to buy something from the crowded coffeeshop so he could relax, but he felt a little strange standing around with so many people around, he didn't usually go out for lunch, or eat lunch at all, but he was hungrier than he thought, so he just went to the closest place to his apartment.

He ordered a protein box and some hot chocolate and took a seat by the window, he was two tables away from a guy with a green drink and dark hair. Chanyeol took a quick sip and went back onto his phone, deciding to reply to some emails from disgruntled parents about his lessons hardly ever being open, he brushed his dark curls back and got to work, tapping furiously.

@chanyeol Friday afternoon, Shixun finds himself wandering off to the coffeeshop close to campus. He was supposed to meet up with a friend who promised to help out with a project in class, but said friend cancelled on him last minute. Not knowing what else to do with his free time - photography majors don't have that much to do apart from taking pictures for their portfolios and practicing that, reading up a bit on techniques and theories as well - Shixun decides to watch the people around him. Who knows, maybe luck is on his side and he will find an even better model than his friend?

So Shixun orders his all time favorite green tea latte and sits down by the window from where he can observe the people around him, both inside the coffee shop and outside. Shixun was definitely shameless enough to run after a potential model to persuade them to help out, but so far he doesn't see any promising candidates.

There are a group of high school girls in the other corner of the room who he doesn't feel comfortable to ask although one of the girls among them is pretty enough for a few fashion shots. Then there are couples seated at other tables who he refrains from asking so he wouldn't interrupt them on their dates. His eyes roam around the cafe, trying to locate someone beautiful, someone like that tall and handsome male standing in line to make his order. Now, Shixun only needs to see his face to determine if that person would fit into his project. Judging from his lean stature alone, it would definitely be a yes.

@minseok /fidgets a little bit as i stand outside the cafe, pursing my lips and wondering if i could back out before you even notice me, sighing as i know that's just wrong and i decide to push on
/nudges open the front door and glances around before i spot you over by one of the tables, coming in and smiling slightly as i do so, bowing my head to you just slightly in hello
hey hyung
/takes a seat in front of you, smiling before i glance over to the bar area to see the blackboards and what they have currently on offer to drink
what do you recommend, hyung?
i love sweet things but i'm also craving for a little bit of actual coffee? i don't know. what do you suppose?
/leans back just a little bit as i ask you, offering you another one of my warm smiles, dusting some glitter left in my hair from the kids earlier
sorry- it was painting day today and i guess the kids thought i needed more glitter in my life or something

@minseok Moments like these are what made Yifan wonder what he was doing with his life. Pacing up and down a small alleyway to the left of the cafe he contemplated leaving. It'd be fine to just keep things the way they were, right? He didn't need to put a divide in the friendship he'd already made with Minseok, something he held precious given he didn't have very many friends. Yifan almost convinced himself to leave until he remembered sleepy promises he'd given to Lizzy. 'Yes, we'll get you that new toy. I have a surprise for your birthday, just wait.' Biting his lip, remembering the digital numbers on his computer screen during a recent show that promised of money he couldn't even earn with a week's worth of videos, Yifan suddenly found himself walking into the cafe - and now, here he was, conversing with Minseok as if he wasn't hiding such an ulterior motive. "Hey, Minseok," he returned the greeting, glancing once around the cafe while shrugging his shoulders. "She's with her babysitter right now. They're probably playing games or something at her house." Laughing - more to himself, like he needed reassurance - Yifan shook his head while finding a place to sit near the counter. "Surprise me, and, uh..." Trailing off for a moment he had to work up the courage to make an allusion. "I had something I wanted to talk to you about, when you were finished with work."

@yifan It was a rather slow day and Minseok didn't mind it. After a week of hot business Minseok enjoyed the lull of the evening this time around. His mind was still pretty frayed over yesterday's fiasco and he even had been tempted to quit but he knew he just had to blow some steam off. He leaned against the counter after he cleaned it for the third time. "Just another hour" he mumbled to himself as he glanced back the clock. If he could make it through the next hour then he'd call the day successful. He hadn't tried to punch someone or throw their coffee order across the room. It almost sounds like he hates his job which is far from the truth its just been a long week. So long that when the bell at the door rings Minseok has to fight to suppress the urge to groan at the sound. Though when Minseok lifts his head up to greet the customer a genuine grin tugs at the corner of his lips. "Oh hey Yifan I didn't expect you here at this hour. Where is Lizzy?" he looked around in search of his friend's adorable daughter. Minseok had a soft spot for the little girl. She was so cute and funny that every single time the father and daughter came by the girl wouldn't leave without a little bonus sweet. How could he not? "Do you want your usual or maybe something different since this is kinda new?" he asked with a small chuckle as he turned away from the front counter and began to look around for what he needed to make.