stylist°n.jm

chapter five: flirt

  Jaemin sighs, yanks off his headset and puts it on his desk.

  He opens and closes his eyes that have been staring at the computer screen for a while- exercising them.

  He keeps losing the rounds and it's stressing him out.

  But to admit it himself, it's not the main cause of his misery.

  "If she's not going on dates then, what else could she be doing?"

  He runs his hands up his face and to his soft hair- combing it back.
"I don't feel good about it."

  "About what?" Renjun peeks his head and Jaemin spins to him in a bolt- almost falling off his gaming chair.

  Nana shakes his head. "Nothing. I just keep losing the game and it's making me feel bad."

  Injun looks at the bright screen that shows, 'GAME OVER.'
"Oh. Anyways, food's here"

  He retreats to the dining area and the younger pulls himself up, dispirited.

-

  "What? How?? Oh no! Alright, don't worry. I can handle it."

  Jaemin follows the panicked and frustrated Deiji with his eyes as she walks back and forth in the waiting room.
"What's going on?"

  The girl sighs heavily and stuffs her phone in her pocket.
"Your hair stylist called in sick yesterday but, her substitute is stuck in a traffic jam due to a car accident. So now..."

  She looks around, in search for a free-handed staff and sees none. "You have no hair stylist."

  The stress is clear on her face but she quickly smacks it away with an assuring, confident smile.
"Buuut, I'm here. So, I'll do your hair. How do you want it to be?"

  A sudden idea pops in his head. Maybe, he should pick a time-consuming hairstyle so they'll spend more time togetherㅡ

  No, he erases his own thought. She's busy and exhausted enough.

  "Anything is fine. A simple one would do," he says and she nods wordlessly.

  10 minutes in, Jaemin begins to notice that the style she's doing is one of the difficult among many and he looks at her from her reflection, confused.
"This hairstyle..."

  "Is one of my favourites on you," Deiji continues and her pink lips upturn. "It takes a while but, worth it."

  Her smile.

  Something he'll never get enough of.

  It brings himself to grin. "Sexy, isn't it?"

  His iconic line makes her burst in giggles and she wipes her invisible tear.
"Very."

  Their happy interaction continues on and on to the point where they don't want it to end but the last press of the hairspray awakes them.

  "Alright, 5 minutes left before the stage!" The director announces.

  The idols and related staffs start rushing out.

  "Go, go! Good luck out there!" Deiji wishes and turns to leave when her arm is held gently by a strong hand.

  She faces the other and Jaemin smiles sweetly.

  "Thank you," he says and she feels herself relaxing when he suddenly, executes his signature eyebrow raise while his smile tilts to a smirk.
"Watch me."

  One moment ago, her heart was swimming in calm waters and now, it's getting thrown here and there by the rough tides at his attack.

  A man full of surprise.

  And his hand slips down to her hand- staying briefly at her fingers to hold the tips before he finally, leaves.