UNLIKELY MATCH | HEESEUNG

11 - Beach Photoshoot

HEESEUNG'S POV

The camera shutter clicks away. "Can you, please, get a bit closer?" The photographer practically begs. "Heeseung put your arm around Sena." I'm about to lose it for real. The wind The breeze carries the salty scent of the ocean, ruffling my hair as we stand on the sandy shore, the waves crashing gently in the background. Sena stands next to me in her white dress that doesn't even reach her knees, her posture stiff and her expression forced into a smile. I can tell she's just as uncomfortable with this situation as I am, but on top of that, she must be cold as fuck. 

Reluctantly, I wrap my arms around her, feeling the chill of the wind against our skin. The photographer urges us to get closer, to smile brighter, to act like we're madly in love. But every touch feels forced, every smile feels hollow. When I feel Sena shiver slightly, I close my eyes for a second before I take off my jacket so I can put it over her shoulder. "You must be cold. Let me help you with that," I say, draping my jacket over her shoulders without waiting for her response. 

"Thank you." I can tell she's surprised, but then she pulls the jacket tighter around her and I shrug because I don't want her thinking I care about her or something. It's not a big deal. 

"Yeah, you looked like you were freezing." I ignore the fact my heart fucking flutters when she smiles, or the fact that I think she's so damn beautiful. I like the way her hair is slightly curled like a gentle wave, or the way she doesn't entirely hide her freckles though she probably thinks they're flaws. 

"This is perfect, keep staring at her like that." The photographer says and my breath hitches. Like what? Like I'm completely captivated by her, like I can't tear my eyes away even if I wanted to? Like she's the only thing in this world that matters, and everything else fades into insignificance when she's near? "Sena, sweetheart, wrap your arm around him or something. You look like you're standing next to a stranger." I almost wince at the nickname, but apparently, the two know each other from previous projects. 

Sena hesitates for a moment before she complies, her arm tentatively wrapping around my waist. It's awkward, the way our bodies press together, the way her hand rests against my side, but I try to ignore the way my heart races at the contact. We're just posing for a damn photo shoot, nothing more. "Is this okay?" She asks softly, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before flickering away.

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Yeah, it's fine. Just... do whatever the photographer says." 

"Okay, now for the ring's appearance." Oh yeah, that. The engagement ring was picked by her father just like everything else. The photographer, apparently named Kevin, hands me a box and I open it to reveal the ring inside. It's extravagant, flashy, the kind of thing that screams "look at me" from a mile away. But as I reach for Sena's hand to slide it onto her finger, I can't help but notice how her hand trembles ever so slightly, how her breath catches in her throat. It's a small detail, barely noticeable to anyone else, but it's enough to make me pause. "Are you okay?" I whisper, my voice barely audible over the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine." Her smile is so not convincing, and I can see the tension in her eyes. But before I can say anything else, she takes a deep breath and extends her hand toward me, offering it to slide the ring on. "Do it." 

Reluctantly, I reach for her hand again, the ring glinting in the sunlight as I slide it onto her finger. It fits perfectly, but it feels wrong. "There," I say, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest. "It's done." Sena doesn't reply, her gaze fixed on the ring on her finger as if she's seeing it for the first time. And then, without a word, she cups my face, her finger a little cold against my cheeks and my neck. 

"Perfect, perfect," Kevin sounds delighted. He takes hundreds of pictures while I stand there, trying not to flinch under Sena's touch. Nothing is genuine about this, but the feeling of her fingers against my skin is so damn intimate, so real, that it's hard to remind myself that it's all just for show. "Now put your forehead against his. These pictures are going to break the internet, I'm telling you. It's going to be the most romantic engagement announcement ever!"

I comply, leaning in slightly so that our foreheads touch, the warmth of her skin against mine making me think of things I'm not supposed to be thinking about right now. The woman has a boyfriend and I need to stop imagining things that will never happen. Then, just as quickly as it began, the photo shoot was over. Kevin tells us that he's got all the shots he needs, and Sena steps away from me, her hands falling back to her side. The sudden absence of her touch leaves me feeling strangely empty. 

"Does Ujin know about this?" I hear Kevin ask her and she shakes her head. So her boyfriend's name is Ujin and he's still not aware of the fact that his girlfriend is literally about to marry someone else, even if it's just for show. Sena is keeping this massive secret from her boyfriend, and I'm a part of it. It's a weighty realization, one that sits heavily on my shoulders as I watch her interact with the photographer. "Sweetheart, I'm telling you, dumb his ass because he's really not worth your time. You deserve so much better." Kevin's words catch me off guard, and I glance over at Sena, curious to see her reaction.

"He's not that bad," She says, her voice almost a whisper. It looks like she's not so comfortable talking about her boyfriend, and I'm starting to wonder what kind of relationship they really have. "Thanks for today, you're really saving me a lot of trouble." 

I watch as Kevin wraps his arms around her and she does the same, resting her chin on his shoulder. They're closer than I thought. "I'm just looking out for you, Senny, you know I have your back." I stand there, hands inside my pockets as I watch them interact. She's not uneasy or awkward, the way she leans into him speaks volumes about their relationship. It's familiar like they've known each other for years.

When Kevin leaves and we're alone next to my car, Sena tilts her head down, staring at her ring. "I can't believe I'm doing this with you when I haven't even got the chance to do it with my own boyfriend." The way she says it, the way she sounds resigned and slightly sad makes me feel guilty for some reason. "But still, thank you for being here. It's not really your thing." 

"Don't mention it," I reply, trying to keep my tone casual. "It's not like I did it for you or anything." The words slip before I even realize it, and fuck, if only I could take it back because her smile falters for a moment. 

"Right, of course not." She echoes, her smile now strained as she looks away, her fingers fiddling with the ring on her finger. "You know what? Forget I said anything. Let's just get this over with." Before she gets to leave me standing there like a complete idiot, I grab her hand and stop her from walking away. "I'm not in the mood to argue with you, Heeseung, just let me-"

"Why didn't you tell your boyfriend yet?" Not the best question to ask right now, but it lingered in my mind more than I wanted to admit and I couldn't stop myself from blurting it out.

"That's none of your business. My relationship with my boyfriend is between us, and I'll tell him when I'm ready." She's being defensive, I can see it in the way she can't look me in the eye and in the way she clenches her jaw slightly.  With a heavy sigh, I follow her lead and get into the driver's seat, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot, my mind filled with thoughts I know I'm not supposed to dwell on.